Church of Sta. Cruz was built and administered by the Jesuits up to 1768. Adjoining was the Jesuit College of San Ildefonso, founded by Governor Alfonso Fajardo de la Tenza on January 9, 1724. The titular patroness of the church is Nuestra Señora Del Pilar, whose statue was brought from Spain prior to 1768. The confraternity of Nuestra Señora del Pilar was canonically founded in this church in 1743. On the surrounding plaza the British returned the City of Manila to Simon de Anda y Salazar in 1764.
