First baptism reenacted by Sto. Niño devotees in Basilica

BELLS pealed as images of the Señor Sto. Niño or Child Jesus and the Our Lady of Guadalupe were brought inside the Basilica del Sto. Niño after yesterday’s fluvial procession.

In the outdoor   Pilgrim Center, devotees reenacted the first baptism in the Philippines in 1521.

The image of the Virgin Marry  was received by bare-chested “natives” in slippers.

The Sto. Niño was carried by men dressed as Spanish soldiers.

Both images were placed on  an altar adorned with  pink  gladiolas  and anthuriums. Spanish soliders   planted a  cross with a white cloth beside the altar.

While this went on, a Cebuano hymn in honor of the Holy Cross was sung.

Msgr. Cristobal Garcia placed incense  on the cross.

Using a wooden ladle, he  sprinkled holy water on the heads of actors portraying Cebu’s chieftain Rajah Humabon, his wife Humahay and a group of natives.

Priests who concelebrated the Mass blessed the crowd of about 2,000 devotees  with holy water.

“More than the reenactment is the reaffirmation of faith.  I want to emphasize the reaffirmation. It’s more of a renewal of baptismal vows—a remembering,” Garcia told Cebu Daily News.

Cebu’s Humabon got the baptismal name Carlos while his wife was named Juana.

As baptismal gifts, Magellan presented to Queen Juana the image of the Sto. Niño and a small statue of  Our Lady of Guadalupe.

This small image was later found in a well and turned over to the Cathedral. However, its original image couldn’t be located.

The original image of the Sto. Niño is venerated in a glass case inside a side chapel of the basilica.

Carlos received the image of the Ecce Homo or the bust of the suffering Christ.

The original wooden sculpture of the Ecce Homo was returned from the San Agustin Church in Manila to the Basilica del Sto. Niño last August 2011.

The  image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was received by the island natives, is now enshrined at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebu.

Yesterday, the Sto. Niño image used during the fluvial procession was brought out from the Pilgrim Center after the Mass.

In his homily, Garcia said the Sto. Niño chose Cebu as its destination among many places in Asia.

He said Juana had requested Magellan to leave the image of the child Jesus to remind them of a God who is always with His people.

After the Mass, sinulog dances were performed by members of the Cofradia del Sto. Niño, the Mabolo group, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the Sandiego Dance Troupe.

Some devotees were seen teary-eyed during the celebration.

“Nag-ampo ko nga wala lang untay katalagman nga mahitabo (I’m praying that there will be no calamities),” said 56-year-old devotee Evangeline Minesterio.