Madrid has had a new minor basilica since this Sunday. The Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo, presided over a Mass of thanksgiving on April 19 for the elevation to this dignity of the Sanctuary-Parish of María Auxiliadora, in the Atocha neighborhood.
The celebration, with the temple full, marks the beginning of a new stage for this parish, linked to the Salesian presence in the capital.
A new basilica in the Archdiocese of Madrid
With this recognition, the María Auxiliadora sanctuary joins the set of minor basilicas in the archdiocese, including the Almudena Cathedral, San Francisco el Grande, or that of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen, among others.
The title was granted by decree of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, signed on October 7 and read at the beginning of the celebration.
The meaning of the elevation to basilica
During the homily, Cardinal Cobo explained that the granting of this title is not limited to the building, but recognizes the life of the Christian community linked to the temple.
“What is consecrated today […] is not the space, but the presence of a community,” he noted, adding that “the true temple is the believing people built on living stones.”
He also indicated that the status of minor basilica implies a particular bond with the See of Peter and with the universal Church.
Liturgical and pastoral function
The archbishop emphasized that this recognition also entails a responsibility in liturgical and pastoral life. In this sense, he pointed out that the basilica is called to be “a school of faith, a house of living liturgy celebrated with dignity, and a place of evangelization.”
During the celebration, a specific intention was included in the prayer of the faithful for the new condition of the temple, as well as the solemn blessing of the apostles Peter and Paul.
Likewise, Cobo invited the faithful to strengthen community life and to develop the evangelizing mission from the parish. In this regard, he indicated that the basilica must be “the starting point of the mission” and a place of formation for the faithful.
Salesian presence in Atocha
The Salesians settled in the Atocha area at the end of the 19th century. In 1966 they received the commission to build the parish, which was completed in 1972.
The elevation to minor basilica comes after a process initiated in previous stages and recognizes the trajectory of this parish community in the Archdiocese of Madrid.