The Official page of the Santuario Arquidiocesano y Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, La Limpia, the premier abode of the Carmelite Devotion in the Visayas and Mindanao since 1621. It is considered to be the first Marian shrine in the city of Cebu. The venerated image of the church was popularly known as La Limpia Concepcion, since the Dogma of the Immac
ulate Conception was not yet declared until 1854. In 1621, the Augustinian Recollects arrived in Cebu under the invitation of Bishop Pedro de Arce. On April 29, 1621 the Hermitage of La Limpia Concepcion was formally donated to the Recollect Fathers. The Recollects also brought the devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in 1622. The church became the center of the Carmel devotion in the Visayas and Mindanao. In 1718, the Recollects constructed a bigger church so as to accommodate the growing devotees of La Limpia and the church became known as the Recoletos Church. In 1895, the devotion to the Immaculate Conception was transferred to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, which made the Recollect Fathers and devotees to modify the venerated image of the church. It was decided that she will be “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel”, since the church is the center of Carmel devotion. Aside from the Carmel devotion, the church was also known for the devotions to Sta. Joseph and Hesus Nazareno. In 1964, the old church was torn down and gave way to the construction of a more spacious church and was consecrated on March 18, 1966. Finally, on January 1, 1971 the church was elevated as a Parish by Julio Cardinal Rosales under the title of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish - Recoletos. The first Parish Priest was Fray Pio Santillana, OAR. Its first Filipino Parish Priest was Fray Faustino Paglinawan, OAR. During the 50th Founding Anniversary of the Parish, the venerated Marian image of the parish was Episcopally Crowned on January 8, 2022 under the official title of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, La Limpia to historically link her from her first title of La Limpia Concepcion. On April 29, 2022 during the Closing Celebration of the 400 Years of Augustinian Recollect Presence in Cebu, the Parish was elevated as an Archdiocesan Shrine under the title of Santuario Arquidiocesano De Nuestra Señora del Carmen, La Limpia.
