[3][4] The church began as a rustic shrine made of bamboo, nipa, and molave wood that was built to house the image of Our Lady of Guidance in the area where it was found in 1571 by Spanish soldiers under Miguel López de Legazpi.

Juan Fernandez de Leon who was a hermit from Mexico before relocating to Manila, was responsible for building Hermita up.

[8] On March 28, 1949, attorney and future senator Jose W. Diokno married Carmen Icasiano at Ermita Church.

On December 3, 2005, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio B. Rosales elevated the status of this church to an archdiocesan shrine.

[9] The church is under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Manila under the vicariate forane of Nuestra Señora de Guia.