Grace Thompson
There are over 1,800 Catholic basilicas in the world. These are churches with special privileges conferred on them by the Pope. They are divided into major basilicas, of which there are four, all in the Diocese of Rome, and minor basilicas, of which there are nearly 2,000 worldwide. Some basilicas are pilgrimage sites, attracting tens of millions of visitors per year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic Basilicas in the world | Over 1,800 (all minor basilicas except for 4 major basilicas) |
| Number of Major Basilicas | 4 |
| Location of Major Basilicas | Diocese of Rome |
| Names of Major Basilicas | St John Lateran, St Peter's, St Paul Outside the Walls, St Mary Major |
| Number of Minor Basilicas | 1,924 (as of 2023) |
| Requirements for Basilica status | Application with 119 segments in Latin exploring architecture, art, liturgical life, religious devotions, participation of the laity, charitable works, and historical relevance |
| Privileges of being a Basilica | Rector can wear a black 'mozetta' or cap, right to display a Umbraculum and Tintinnabulum, papal throne and high altar |
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What You'll Learn
There are over 1,800 Catholic basilicas in the world
There are over 1,800 Catholic basilicas across the world. A basilica is a church with certain privileges conferred on it by the Pope. It is distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. Basilicas are designated as either major basilicas or minor basilicas. There are four major basilicas, all of which are located in the Diocese of Rome: St John Lateran, St Peter's, St Paul Outside the Walls, and St Mary Major.
The remaining over 1,800 basilicas are minor basilicas. In recent times, the title of minor basilica has been attributed to important pilgrimage churches and national centres of the faith. For example, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is considered the most visited Catholic shrine in the world. Other notable minor basilicas include Knock Shrine and St Patrick's Purgatory (Lough Derg) in Ireland, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida in Brazil.
Minor basilicas are distinguished by certain privileges. For example, the Rector of a minor basilica may wear a black 'mozetta' or cap over his surplice with red piping, buttons, and buttonholes in the exercise of his office. Minor basilicas also have the right to display a Umbraculum and a Tintinnabulum, both symbols of the Pope's authority.
The process of becoming a basilica is rigorous and involves an application reviewed by the Holy See, which is headed by Archbishop Arthur Roche. The application explores the church's architecture, art, liturgical life, religious devotions, participation of the laity, charitable works, and historical relevance. After review by the Holy See, the application is sent to the CDWDS in Rome, which notifies the church of its decision.
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Only four are classified as major basilicas
A basilica is a Catholic church building with certain privileges conferred on it by the Pope. Basilicas are divided into two categories: major basilicas and minor basilicas.
Only four basilicas are classified as major basilicas, and they are all located in the Diocese of Rome: St. John Lateran, St. Peter's, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major. These four major basilicas are also known as the papal basilicas or the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. They outrank in precedence all other churches, including minor basilicas.
St. John Lateran, also known as the Lateran Basilica or the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and is considered the Mother Church of the world. It is the only church known as an archbasilica. St. Peter's Basilica, also called the Vatican Basilica, is a major pilgrimage site built over the burial place of Peter the Apostle. St. Paul Outside the Walls, also known as the Ostian Basilica, is located on the road to Ostia and is built over the burial place of Paul the Apostle. St. Mary Major, also referred to as the Liberian Basilica, is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The original structure was attributed to Pope Liberius, although the current building is not the same as the original.
In addition to these four major basilicas, there are over 1,800 minor basilicas worldwide as of 2023. Minor basilicas are often important pilgrimage churches and national centers of faith.
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The rest are minor basilicas
There are over 1,800 Catholic basilicas around the world, with only four major basilicas: St John Lateran, St Peter's, St Paul outside the Walls, and St Mary Major, all of which are located in the Diocese of Rome. The rest are minor basilicas.
Minor basilicas are important pilgrimage churches and national centres of faith. For example, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is considered the most visited Catholic shrine in the world, followed by San Giovanni Rotondo and the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida in Brazil. Millions of pilgrims also visit the shrines of Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Fatima each year.
Minor basilicas are granted special privileges by the Pope, including the right to display a Umbraculum and a Tintinnabulum. The Rector of a minor basilica may also wear a black 'mozetta' or cap over his surplice. The process of attaining minor basilica status involves a rigorous application and review process, including an extensive questionnaire exploring the church's architecture, art, liturgical life, religious devotions, participation of the laity, charitable works, and historical relevance.
Minor basilicas can be found across the globe, including in the United States, which currently has 93 recognised minor basilicas. New York State has the highest number of minor basilicas within the US, with eight located across the state.
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Basilicas are designated by the Pope
A basilica is a Catholic church building that has been accorded special privileges by the Pope. There are two types of basilicas: major basilicas and minor basilicas.
The world's four major, or papal, basilicas are St. John Lateran, St. Peter, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major, all located in the Diocese of Rome. These basilicas are distinguished by their papal thrones and high altars, at which no one may celebrate Mass without the Pope's permission. They outrank all other churches in precedence, including the cathedral of a bishop in the same diocese.
Minor basilicas, of which there are 1,924 worldwide as of 2023, are significant churches in Rome and elsewhere that meet certain criteria and are given special ecclesiastical privileges. They are often named for their antiquity, dignity, historical value, architectural and artistic worth, and/or significance as centers of worship. Minor basilicas possess three physical signs: the conopaeum, a silk canopy with stripes of yellow and red (the papal colours); the tintinnabulum, or bell; and the right to display the papal symbol of crossed keys.
The Pope designates churches as basilicas based on specific criteria. According to a 1989 Vatican document, Domus ecclesiae, a basilica must "stand out as a centre of active and pastoral liturgy." The designation of a basilica indicates a special bond of communion with the Pope, and the parish must celebrate Mass and conduct its liturgical and pastoral activities in communion with the Holy See.
In summary, basilicas are designated by the Pope based on their significance, architectural and artistic merits, and their role as centres of worship and liturgy. There are four major basilicas, all in Rome, and 1,924 minor basilicas worldwide as of 2023, with the United States home to 69 of them.
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They are distinguished for ceremonial purposes
There are over 1,800 Catholic basilicas worldwide, with only four of them—St. John Lateran, St. Peter's, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major—classified as major basilicas. The rest are minor basilicas.
Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that are distinguished for ceremonial purposes. They are distinguished by certain privileges conferred on them by the Pope. The Pope designates a church as a basilica, and the term has taken on a canonical sense unrelated to the architectural style. Basilicas are either major or minor, with the major basilicas outranking all other churches in precedence.
Major basilicas are the four great churches of Rome, each with a special holy door. A visit to these churches is one of the conditions for gaining the Roman Jubilee. Only major basilicas may prefix their titles with the adjective "sacrosancta" (most holy). St. John Lateran, also known as the Lateran Basilica or the Archbasilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and is considered the Mother Church of the world. St. Peter's Basilica, also known as the Vatican Basilica, is a major pilgrimage site built over the burial place of Peter the Apostle. St. Paul Outside the Walls, also known as the Ostian Basilica, is situated on the road to Ostia and is built over the burial place of Paul the Apostle. St. Mary Major, also known as the Liberian Basilica, is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Minor basilicas, on the other hand, are significant churches in Rome and elsewhere in the world that meet specific criteria and are given special ecclesiastical privileges. They are often important pilgrimage churches and national centers of faith. Minor basilicas are typically named for their antiquity, dignity, historical value, architectural and artistic worth, and/or significance as centers of worship. They offer opportunities for pilgrimage on certain holy days granted by the Pope.
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Frequently asked questions
There are over 1,800 Catholic basilicas worldwide.
There are four major basilicas, all in the Diocese of Rome.
The four major basilicas are St John Lateran, St Peter's, St Paul Outside the Walls, and St Mary Major.
A basilica is a church with certain privileges conferred on it by the Pope.
The church must submit an application in Latin, exploring its architecture, art, liturgical life, religious devotions, participation of the laity, charitable works, and historical relevance. The application is reviewed by the Holy See, which advises the Pope.
