Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy

The National Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Mercy is a Roman Catholic church under the Diocese of Novaliches in the Philippines.

After the Novaliches district was established in 1854, the first church was built two years later by the Augustinians under the decree of José Julián de Aranguren, Archbishop of Manila.

On September 24, 1856, the church was established and was initially called the Chapel of Corpus Christi, dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament.

The devotion to Our Lady of Mercy developed over the years until the Philippine Revolution of 1896 against the Spanish Empire, when the original image disappeared.

According to oral history, this image was first seen by Novaliches residents in the 1930s; it was actually commissioned by Macaria Sarmiento-Mendoza in the early 20th century and was identified to have been carved by Graciano Nepomuceno.

This image was considered to be "La Verdadera", being the oldest extant icon of Our Lady of Mercy in Novaliches, and was then enshrined at the high altar.

A de vestir ("in vestments") replica carved by Rufino Rivera was completed in 1985 and enshrined in its own marble side altar.

The Susano family commissioned Wilfredo Layug to make a new altar with a new image of Our Lady of Mercy that is now seen today.

Due to the enduring devotion to Nuestra Señora de la Merced in Novaliches and the historical importance of her sacred place, on September 15, 2008, the parish church was elevated as a diocesan shrine by Most Rev.

On its first anniversary as a diocesan shrine, the church was presented with an 18-bell carillon, a token of gratitude from the devotees of Our Lady of Mercy.

Then on June 6, 2021, the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Mercy of Novaliches formally obtained its Spiritual Bond of Affinity to Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Charles John Brown, DD, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, during a Corpus Christi Sunday Mass.

Cardinal Jose Advincula presided the ceremony, along with Bishops Mylo Hubert Vergara, Teodoro Bacani, Antonio Tobias, and Roberto Gaa.

The original de tallado image presents the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Mercy standing on a cloud with putti (little angels), both hands are raised and extended and previously holding a chain or the White Mercedarian Scapular, has long and wavy hair covered with a dainty veil wears a crown and the diagnostic doce estrellas.

The image is now securely enshrined on the side altar of the church after it received its pontifical and canonical crown and halo.

The second image is the de vestir processional image where it also shares the same elements of the original image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches from the vestments (richly embroidered white habit, white scapular, and blue cape), hands that are extended and raised holding the White Mercedarian Scapular and chain, wears a dainty veil and also wears a crown and the diagnostic doce estrellas.

This list presents the recent rector and parish priests of the church since it was elevated into a diocesan shrine.

Historical plaque
Church interior in 2017
The original and pontifically crowned image during the 41st Intramuros Grand Marian procession last December 4, 2022