Cebu City braces for return of devotees to honor Señor Sto. Niño
DEVOTION | Thousands of devotees join the annual “Walk With Jesus” procession from Fuente Osmeña to Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in Cebu City to mark the start of the 455th Fiesta Señor celebration in this 2020 photo. (Photo by GERARD FRANCISCO / Contributor)
CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — All activities in honor of the Child Jesus here will be back in January 2023 as the Augustinian priests of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu on Tuesday announced the return of its fiesta activities, including the foot processions, “traslacion,” and fluvial parade.
Fr. John Ion Miranda, OSA, secretary general of the 458th Fiesta Señor, said they had coordinated for three months with government agencies for the resumption of religious activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Activities lined up for the Fiesta Señor were expected to draw millions of devotees to Cebu. This is separate from the Sinulog Festival organized by the city government.
While wearing face masks was no longer required in all the activities, Miranda said devotees were still “highly encouraged” to wear one.
The celebration carries the theme “Sto. Niño: Our Source of Peace in the Walk of Faith.”
Keep it solemn
At a press conference at the basilica on Tuesday, Miranda appealed to devotees to follow the instructions and signages, and to keep the celebration solemn.“As we resume all our religious activities, we appeal to all devotees, pilgrims, and guests to adhere to all protocols which are being implemented for a safe, orderly, and solemn conduct of our celebration. Let us be mindful that a ‘good Christian makes a better citizen,’” he said.
Signages, communion kiosks, large LED screens, and several television monitors would be mounted inside the basilica complex and the adjoining streets for people who could not be accommodated at the churchyard.
Except on Jan. 5, 2023, and Jan. 13, 2023, when dawn processions will be held, 10 Masses will be celebrated at the outdoor Pilgrim Center starting at 5:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day leading to the feast of the Sto. Niño.
The basilica complex will be open to the public for 24 hours from Jan. 5, 2023, to Jan. 15, 2023, although the church is off-limits to people from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. to allow maintenance personnel to clean the basilica.
The Fiesta Señor 2023 officially starts with the annual “Walk with Jesus,” a penitential foot procession from Fuente Osmeña to the basilica at 4 a.m. on Jan. 5, 2023.
On Jan. 13, 2023, Friday, there will be another traditional prayer walk from Fuente Osmeña to the basilica for the “Walk With Mary.”
The “Misa de Traslacion” will also be held that day and will be followed by a motorcade that will bring the images of the Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe de Cebu to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City.
At midnight, the images will be transferred to the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rule in Lapu-Lapu City.
Fluvial procession
On the morning of Jan. 14, 2023, the images will be brought back to the basilica through a fluvial procession along the Mactan Channel.
The reenactment of the planting of the cross, first Mass and baptism will follow at the basilica’s pilgrim center.
At 1 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2023, the solemn foot procession of the Sto. Niño will be held along major streets in the city. It will be followed by a pontifical Mass and the hourlong dancing of the traditional Sinulog with prayer petitions at the pilgrim center.
On the feast day of the Sto. Niño on Jan. 15, 2023, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma will celebrate the pontifical Mass at 6 a.m. at the Pilgrim Center.
