USCCB confirms historic national designation; solemn Mass and rededication scheduled for May 5 on the Dominican saint’s feast day
NEW YORK — The National Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer in New York City has received formal confirmation of its right to continue using the title of “National Shrine” and will be solemnly rededicated on May 5, the feast of St. Vincent Ferrer in the liturgical calendar of the Order of Preachers.
In a letter dated April 23, 2026, addressed to Fr. Peter Martyr Yungwirth, OP, rector of the shrine, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) affirmed that the Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer, located at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, may retain “national” designation. The decision came after a review of historical documentation demonstrating that the title had been in use prior to the First Sunday of Advent 1983, in accordance with the USCCB’s Norms for the Designation of National Shrines.
The same letter also approved the shrine’s updated statutes, which had been amended and endorsed by the Provincial Council and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, then-Archbishop of New York, on April 9.
“Through the intercession of Saint Vincent Ferrer, may this National Shrine continue to inspire pilgrims to lives of deeper prayer, Christian witness, and service,” wrote Rev. Dustin P. Doughty, executive director.
The parish will celebrate the occasion with the Solemnity of St. Vincent Ferrer and the Rededication of the National Shrine on Tuesday, May 5. The evening will begin with a Solemn Mass, during which the shrine will be formally rededicated. A relic of St. Vincent Ferrer will be available for veneration, followed by a reception.
For the Dominican parish, the event holds both ecclesial and apostolic significance. St. Vincent Ferrer (1350–1419), a native of Valencia, entered the Order of Preachers in 1367 and became one of the most celebrated preachers of late medieval Europe. Known for calling people to conversion, promoting peace and Church reform, and playing a key role in resolving the Western Schism, he is frequently depicted with a trumpet and the Book of Revelation, bearing the words, “Timete Deum et date illi honorem quia venit hora judicii ejus” (Fear God and give honor to him for the hour of his judgment is coming).
Fr. Peter Martyr highlighted the importance of the shrine’s location in a global city. “It’s such a privilege to have the National Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer here in New York City,” he said. “In his preaching, he consistently pointed people to God, always encouraging them to fear God and seek Him first. With the global impact that this city has, these words are so fundamentally important for all of us. From financiers to lawyers to educators to doctors and nurses and to everyone in between, his words can guide people of all professions to live in accord with God’s grace.”
He also drew attention to the saint’s reputation for miracles and a longstanding devotional practice. “St. Vincent Ferrer is often known for his miracles, and a number of odd ones at that,” fr. Peter Martyr said. “In light of this, the Dominican Order developed a special blessing for holy water that is intended for the sick. This ‘St. Vincent Ferrer Water,’ as it’s often known, can be such a consolation to the sick. Even if it doesn’t bring about a physical healing, it can be such a great source of peace and comfort to the soul.”
The parish also preserves a replica of the saint’s miracle bell. “Here, we’re blessed to have a replica of his ‘Miracle Bell,’ which would be rung whenever he’d work a miracle,” he explained. “When the Novena Prayers are said here in his honor, the custom is that the bell would be rung to signal the prayers. At the same time, it is a means to give hope to the people that even though he died nearly 600 years ago, his intercession from heaven can still be present now.”
The rededication of the church marks more than an administrative milestone. For the Dominican community in Manhattan, it is a joyful opportunity to renew devotion to one of the Order’s greatest preachers and to recommit the shrine to its mission: drawing pilgrims closer to Christ through the powerful intercession of St. Vincent Ferrer.
