DEVOTION Throngs of devotees wave their hands in the air as they sing 鈥淏ato-Balani sa Gugma鈥� (Magnet of Love), an ancient hymn dedicated to the Sto. Ni帽o during the first novena Mass in honor of the Child Jesus at Basilica del Sto. Ni帽o鈥檚 Pilgrim Center in Cebu City on Thursday. 鈥擜DOR VINCENT MAYOL
CEBU CITY 鈥� RJ Guaca and his wife woke up early on Thursday, excited to join the dawn procession that marked the start of every Fiesta Se帽or celebration here.
They had been joining dawn processions, even before they got married and had a daughter six years ago. They stopped only in 2021 when Sinulog activities were halted after health protocols and mobility restrictions were imposed to stop the spread of the COVID-19.
With the return of full in-person celebration for the feast of the Holy Child Jesus, the couple from Barangay Pasil in Cebu City even dressed up their daughter Ariana as the Santo Ni帽o.
鈥淲e are very happy to be able to take part in this solemn walk once again,鈥� Guaca said.
But it was not just the Guaca family who was excited about joining the 鈥淲alk with Jesus鈥� procession from Fuente Osme帽a to the Basilica Minore del Santo Ni帽o in downtown Cebu City, which started at 4 a.m.
Shortly before daybreak, candles brightened the length of Osme帽a Boulevard in Cebu City where the image of Santo Ni帽o de Cebu was taken to a procession to start the 458th Fiesta Se帽or celebration.
Around 300,000 to 400,000 devotees, twice bigger than 2020鈥檚 150,000, took part in the dawn procession and first novena Mass, according to Col. Ireneo Dalogdog, director of the Cebu City Police Office, and Harold Alcontin, operations head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
The 2-kilometer prayer walk was last held in January 2020, two months before Cebu City imposed stringent health protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Solemn
Like in previous years, devotees, young and old, carried their own images of the Santo Ni帽o, prayed the Holy Rosary and sang liturgical hymns which were broadcast live on radio and amplified by speakers during the procession and Mass.
There were no fireworks or balloons along the procession route following an appeal from Augustinian priests in charge of the basilica to maintain the solemnity of the event and for public safety.
The flower-decked 鈥渃arroza鈥� (carriage) that carried the image of Santo Ni帽o arrived at the basilica at 5:10 a.m. and was welcomed with shouts of 鈥淰iva Pit Se帽or!鈥� and 鈥淰iva Se帽or Santo Ni帽o!鈥� as church bells pealed.
The 3,500-capacity church courtyard was packed, with thousands more spilling into the streets outside of the basilica.
They watched the Eucharistic celebration through large LED screens and television monitors installed around the church complex.
Journey
In his homily, Fr. Nelson Zerda, OSA, stressed the need for people to have faith in life鈥檚 journey.
鈥淟ife is a journey. And in this journey, let us not forget to pray. Despite the many obstacles, we should remain faithful to God,鈥� he said.
There were times when God would test people for a purpose, he added.
鈥淕od sometimes refines and purifies us as fire tests gold鈥攁 tough love, so to speak. But in the end, these obstacles become blessings in disguise. Jesus is our 鈥榳onder-counselor, God-hero, Father-forever and prince of peace,鈥欌�� Zerda said.
At the end of the Mass, Zerda carried the image of the Santo Ni帽o and led people in dancing the traditional one-step-forward, two-steps-backward Sinulog dance for about five minutes.
The basilica complex, which has been the center of the four-century-old devotion to the Santo Ni帽o, will be open 24 hours from Jan. 5 to Jan. 15 to accommodate the multitude of devotees who will pay homage to the original image of Santo Ni帽o which is enthroned in a glass case at a side chapel inside the basilica.
The church, however, will be closed from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. for the basilica鈥檚 cleanup. Except for Jan. 5 and Jan. 13 where there are dawn processions, at least 11 Masses, in Cebuano and English, will be celebrated a day in the basilica from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The image of the Santo Ni帽o was given as a baptismal gift by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan to Cebu鈥檚 Hara Humamay which was later given the baptismal name, Queen Juana, in 1521.
Two other images鈥攖he Ecce Homo (a portrait of Jesus Christ) and the Madonna (Blessed Virgin Mary carrying a child)鈥攚ere given to Rajah Humabon, later named Don Carlos, and the natives, respectively.