Pope Leo XIV raised the Diocesan Sanctuary Our Lady of Socavón, located in Oruro (Bolivia) to the minor basilica, constituting a milestone in the cultural and spiritual history of the Orureño people.
This important recognition is part of the commemoration of the Jubilee Year of the Diocese of Oruro and the Bicentennial of the Bolivian Homeland, and is the result of a great work done by a special commission composed of Fr. Gustavo Llerena, rector of the sanctuary; Representatives of the Ethnography and Folklore Committee; legal advisors of the bishopric and the sanctuary; architects and collaborators.
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The ceremony in which Basilica lesser to this important Bolivian sanctuary will be formally declared, will be held on August 30 at 6:00 p.m., starting with a procession from the Cathedral, chaired by Mons. Fermín Emilio Sosa Rodríguez, Apostolic Nuncio in Bolivia.
An emblem of the Faith of Oruro
The Nuestra Señora del Socavón sanctuary, located in Oruro, constitutes a fundamental reference for the Orureña, Bolivian family and numerous devotees internationally.
He was declared a diocesan sanctuary in 1998 by the then bishop of Oruro, Mons. Braulio Säez García, and consecrated in November 2000, the month in which the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Socavón was also held, thus consolidating a long history of popular devotion.
Year after year, this emblematic place receives the faithful of Oruro, who yearned for greater recognition for the temple, which welcomes the needs, prayers and gratitude of the people.
Thus arose the request that it be declared basilica, a distinction that will allow it to grant plenary indulgences to the pilgrims on dates, and a special celebration of the Chair of San Pedro Apostle, among other festivities.
The distinction as a basilica corresponds not only to its historical, architectural and artistic value, but also to its value as a center of worship and its roots in the religious and cultural life of the community.
The way to become Minor Basilica
In January 2024, headed by Mons. Cristóbal Bialasik, bishop of Oruro, a special commission was formed to advance in the historical desire to raise this sanctuary to Basilica.
The Commission elaborated an exhaustive document that collected history, tradition, devotion, architecture and the essential presence of the Virgen del Socavón in the orureña culture and spirituality.
On September 11, 2024, a press conference was held in Oruro with the participation of local and departmental authorities, representatives of folklore and Mons. Bialasik, who signed a commitment to present such documentation to Pope Francis.
The file was delivered to the Apostolic Nuncio Mons. Fermín Emilio Sosa Rodríguez, who referred it to the Holy See.
On February 21, 2025, the Bolivian Episcopal Conference granted the Nothing stands For the Minor Basilica Declaration.
Finally, on July 16, 2025, Solemnity of the Virgen del Carmen, the official confirmation of the Holy See was received where it is indicated that “the Supreme Pontiff Leo XIV elevates with pleasure the diocesan sanctuary located in the city of Oruro, dedicated to God, in honor of the blessed Virgin Mary with the invocation of the undercut, to the title and dignity of the minor basil.
Julieta Villar
I am a journalist, a graduate in Communication from the National University of La Matanza in Argentina. I have work experience in non -governmental organizations. Since 2016 I dedicate myself to Catholic journalism, first in the Argentine Catholic Information Agency (AICA) and, since 2022, as a correspondent for ACI Press for Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Bolivia.