Quintin Paredes Street, Binondo, Manila, Philippines
Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz (Binondo Church)
A sixteenth-century church in Manila's Chinatown, the oldest in the district, named for the first Filipino saint and patron of Chinese-Filipino Catholics.
Binondo Church stands at the entrance to Manila's Chinatown, the oldest Chinatown in the world. Founded by Dominican friars in 1596 to serve Chinese converts, the church has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times — by earthquakes, fires, and the Battle of Manila in 1945. The current building, reconstructed after the war, is a granite-faced octagonal structure with a separate bell tower. It was rededicated as the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz in 2018, honoring the Chinese-Filipino layman martyred in Japan in 1637 and canonized in 1987. The parish serves a mixed Filipino and Chinese-Filipino congregation, and the liturgical calendar reflects both cultures. The surrounding streets are crowded with noodle shops and gold merchants, and the church feels like a calm center in a busy world.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Manila
Style: Post-War Reconstruction
What to See
The octagonal shape is unusual for a Manila church. Inside, the devotion to San Lorenzo Ruiz is central. The bell tower, separated from the main church, is one of the neighborhood's landmarks. Step outside and you're immediately in the bustle of Chinatown.
Pilgrim Notes
The church is in Binondo, accessible from other parts of Manila by jeepney or LRT. The neighborhood is crowded and lively. Chinese New Year celebrations here blend Catholic and Chinese traditions. Come for Sunday Mass to see the parish at its best.