A parish in Pampanga will formally establish a “special bond of affinity” with a basilica in Barcelona, Spain, through a spiritual twinning ceremony later this month.
The Parish of Nuestra Señora de la Merced in Bahay Pare, Candaba, Pampanga, under the Archdiocese of San Fernando, will be spiritually twinned with the Basilica of Mare de Déu de la Mercè and Saint Michael Archangel in Barcelona.
According to an official document issued by the Barcelona basilica, the partnership grants a “charter of spiritual sisterhood” to the Pampanga parish.
The document states that the twinning establishes “a spiritual bond in the same devotion to the Mother of God of Mercy, for the good and spiritual fruit of the People of God.”
The Pampanga parish described the development as a “special bond of affinity” with the Spanish basilica. It expressed gratitude, calling it a moment to “give thanks, praise, and rejoice.”
A solemn declaration of the spiritual twinning is scheduled on April 28, 2026, at 9 a.m., to be marked by liturgical rites and a thanksgiving Mass.
The ceremony will be presided over by Archbishop Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.
Church officials said the twinning signifies a shared devotion to Nuestra Señora de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercy), aimed to strengthen spiritual ties between the two Catholic communities.
