ENTER JESUITS
The rich and meaningful history of the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu dates back to the early Spanish era of 1596, when the Augustinians friars built the first settlements in the place. In the year August 29, 1659, the first parish was built under and in honor of the patron St. Matthew (San Mateo), the apostle andevangelist. But in December 6, 1696, the Jesuits came and gained control of the town. Thus, in 1705, a Jesuit priest, Fr. Juan Echazabal, started the devotion to our Lady of Aranzazu from Spain and changed the patron of the town from St. Matthew to Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.
WORLD WAR
In 1715, the first concrete church was built but was destroyed in 1863 by a devastating earthquake. In 1887 the church was rebuilt and repaired but was again destroyed by the war of 1942 during the Japanese occupation. In the year 1990, the bell tower was repaired after the earthquake of July 16 of the same year. And in 1993, the whole church, including the main altar, was repaired and refurnished.
FROM PARISH TO SHRINE
The Parish of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu was proclaimed as a Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu by the Vatican as it was Canonically erected last July 17 2004, being the only church in the Philippines under the title of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu and only sister-parish of the Basilica of Aranzazu in Spain.