When the general is away, someone should take his place.
A new feature of this year’s solemn foot procession of the Señor Sto. Niño during the vesperas or eve of the feast day is a ceremonial turnover at the Basilica del Sto. Niño.
When the image of of the Holy Child is taken out of the basilica to board a flower-decked carroza at 1:00 p.m., for the procession that will go up to four or five hours on Saturday, the Sto. Niño of the San Nicolas parish will arrive to take his place in the basilica.
The “Tenyente Heneral” of San Nicolas will be left behind in the church while the basilica’s “Kapitan Heneral” will set forth on the foot procession.
The tradition of many years underscores the role of the old San Nicolas church which was believed to be the place where the original image of the Sto. Niño was refound in 1565. The icon was first given by Ferdinand Magellan as a gift from the King of Spain to Rajah Humabon’s wife in 1521.
The Sto. Nino de Teniente of San Nicolas was placed on a carroza and stationed in front of the church during the annual feast day procession.
This year, Fr. Jonas Mejares, basilica rector, said they want to emphasize the practice with a ceremonial turnover of the two images.
“If the Kapitan Heneral is not around, the Teniente Heneral takes his place,” he said.
A replica of the Sto. Niño in the rector’s office will be used in the solemn procession around Cebu city streets, while the original icon, believed to be a source of miracles by generations of devotees, will remain in its chapel in the basilica.
Cebu City Police Chief Natu-el said the crowd in last year’s foot procession reached 1.8 million to 2 million people, which authorities expect to bigger this year.
The procession follows last year’s 5.8 kilometer route with carrozas of St. Joseph, the Our Lady of Consolation and the Sto. Niño de Cebu passing along Osmeña Boulevard to Fuente Osmeña, down General Maxilom Avenue (Mango), Imus Street, M.U. Cuenco Avenue, Plaza Independencia then back to the basilica.
It will be Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma’s first time to join the Sto. Niño procession in his two years as Cebu’s shepherd. He will carry the image to its carroza, walk the route and then return the icon to the basilica.
It will be dusk or early evening when the head of the procession enters the gates of the basilica. This will be followed by a pontifical Mass and hour-long “religious sinulog dancing” in the open square of the Pilgrim Center where cries of “Pit Senyor!” will fill the air with prayer petitions of devotees./Ador Vincent Mayol and Jhunnex Napallacan