The headquarters of São Paulo da Cruz was elevated to Sanctuary on September 14, 2003 - a special moment, when the Passionists celebrated 50 years of missionary life in Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, always with the mission of announcing God's love to each person, manifested in the passion and death of Christ.

The Passionists arrived in the Barreiro de Baixo neighborhood on December 10, 1954. In a short time their evangelizing and missionary action was extended to the communities of Ferrugem (industry neighborhood and Vila São Paulo), Barreiro de Cima, Jatobá, Industrial, Jardim Industrial (Dom Bosco), Boa Vista to the limits of the Parish of Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Praça da Cemig), Sarzedo and Ibirité.

Today, the parish has six communities: Santa Luzia, Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Santa Margarida), Nossa Senhora das Graças, São Pedro, Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Santa Helena) and São Judas Tadeu.