About the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Wanluan Township, The Republic of China (Taiwan):
The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception was the first Catholic church in Taiwan. The building’s architecture and decoration are an integration of Minnan (Southern Chinese) and Western styles, conveying a message that religion can be absorbed into a local milieu. Although the church is primarily Gothic in style with a few classical elements, it was constructed using local techniques and materials. The church dates to the reign of Qing Emperor Xianfeng in the mid-1800s.
In 1861, Spanish Dominican missionary Father Fernando Sainz, O.P. (1832 – 1895) began making trips on foot from Kaohsiung’s Cianjin area to Pingtung’s Wanjin area to minister to the local people. In 1863, he purchased a plot of land in Wanjin and constructed a simple church, which was unfortunately destroyed by an earthquake in 1865. In 1869, due to the rapid growth of his congregation, Father Francisco Herce (unknown – 1894) purchased the land on which the basilica now stands to construct a new church. The Catholic Church of Wanjin was consecrated one year later on December 8, the day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
In 1874, the Tongzhi Emperor placed the church under imperial protection. Qing dynasty official Shen Bao-zhen (1820 – 1879) personally presented the church with two tablets bearing the inscriptions “On Imperial Orders” and “Catholic Church” granted by the emperor. The tablets were inlaid in the church’s façade.
From that point on, every imperial soldier passing by the church had to dismount from his horse as a sign of respect. In 1984, Pope John Paul II (1920 – 2005) conferred the title of Basilica on Wanjin church. Since then, the church has been called the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
The church played a significant role in the development of Catholicism in Taiwan. The time-honored Procession of the Immaculate Conception combines Western religious traditions with local folk customs. It is the largest Catholic celebration in Taiwan, and an example of the multiethnic integration that took place in Pingtung County’s Wanjin area.
The church underwent a two-year renovation in 1999. It was named a third-class historic landmark in November 1985, a designation that was later upgraded to Pingtung County historic landmark.
The church is known for its Procession of the Immaculate Conception. In the church’s early years, as there were only few church members, the procession consisted of carrying a simple palanquin holding the Blessed Virgin Mary around the exterior of the church. The palanquin that currently sits inside the basilica wasn’t completed and put into use until 1876.
Today, the procession takes place on the second Sunday of December to mark the patronal feast day. It has become a major celebration. In 1991 and 2009 (the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Catholicism in Taiwan), the Blessed Virgin Mary was carried in procession all around Taiwan.
Traveling to The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Wanluan Township, the Republic of China:
Address: 24, Wanxing Rd., Wanluan Township, Pingtung County
GPS Coordinates: 120.61121,22.59508
Phone: +886 (08) 783-2005
E-mail: bishconf@catholic.org.tw