[1] Santa Maria Church was founded by Franciscan Friars as a visita by the priest Francisco Javier under the parish of Saint Martin of Tours in Bocaue.

Then by 1792, Santa Maria de Pandi gained independence from its matrix and the construction of a bigger church commenced.

The church was renamed Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

There are two local legends as to how the image arrived in Santa Maria: first is that it was brought to the town by the Franciscan Friars, second is that it was sculpted out of wood from a galleon.

[6] The nearby town of Pandi has its own church, dedicated also to the Immaculate Conception, and is located about 5 kilometers from the minor basilica in Santa Maria, Bulacan.