Weeklong Sinulog Special: Sto. Niño Exhibit

"My parents among the numerous people were also hopeful pilgrims asking for healing from Sto. Niño (see My Adventures - My First Remembered Travel).  They brought me to Cebu every year during Sinulogs (aside from my weekly check-ups at Chong Hua Hospital and Cebu Doctors’ Hospital) to pay homage to the miraculous child Jesus.  But my Cebu visits during those trying times were only limited to the hospitals, Gaw (an old department store at Colon), and the Sto. Niño Basilica."

- Excerpt from The Queen City of the South - Cebu (My Adventures)

Like millions of Filipinos, I was also a devotee of the Sto. Niño de Cebu until I was born again.  But being born again doesn't mean that I do not have respect to the Sto. Niño anymore.  For me, I can worship God whenever and wherever I am because He is omnipresent.  And although Sinulog is a Catholic religious festivity, I still celebrate with it as thanksgiving to God for my good and perfect health up to this time!  With that, let me share to you some antique and one of a kind Sto. Niño images I had captured during the annual Sto. Niño exhibit at Ayala Center Cebu.

A Wooden Sto. Niño

A Chinese Sto. Niño

Another Wooden Sto. Niño

A Baby Sto. Niño

A Mini Sto. Niño

Another Baby Sto. Niño

A Cancerian Sto. Niño

A Libran Sto. Niño 

Sto. Niño for Year 2014

With these various images, the Sto. Niño is not just a religious artifact.  Millions of people believe that the Sto. Niño is the miraculous child Jesus.  Like me, I asked for healing to Sto. Niño when I was a child.  Today, I always thank God for healing me and giving me an extended life! :)

Sinulog 2007 and Sinulog 2013

 

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The Sinulog Princesses

Drumbeats

Colorful Costumes

Fireworks

Festivities

When everybody flocks to Cebu.....

The annual celebration of the Sinulog Festival is being held in the Queen City of the South to honor the miraculous child Jesus, the Sto. Niño.  People from all walks of life from all over the world flocked to Cebu to celebrate the grandest parade in the Philippines!  Each year, the crowd gets thicker and thicker and this 2013 has the utmost stat with a count of 1.2 million people!  (www.newsinfo.inquirer.net)  

The Sinulog parade was first held in 1980 wherein students dressed in moro-moro costumes danced to the beat of the drums.  The dance depicted the water current (sulog in Cebuano) from which the word Sinulog comes from, having a forward-backward-forward movement. (www.mysmarschools.ph)  I am so blessed that since I was little, I've been witnessing such ostentatious festivities because I was promised to Senior Sto. Niño for my good health.   

In every parade, there are groups (tribu) in compet with each other.  And in every group, there's always that somebody who acts as a leader bearing the image of the Sto. Niño.  I am always delighted every time I see them because they are always beautiful.  Apart from possessing ethereal beauty, they are also very graceful in their sways, struts, and sashays.  I even dreamed of becoming one of them but I didn't know what they are called.  But after years of watching them admiringly and doing some research, I now learned that they are called the Sinulog Princesses.

Not just a pretty face, the Sinulog Princess plays a vital role in the tribu.
  

She's recognized to be the leader from whom the whole group relies upon.

She protects her tribu by not committing mistakes that may sabotage the group.

She has to be strong so she could stand up for her tribu when adversaries arise.

She must behave herself properly to be a good role model to all young females in her tribu.

She must portray how to pay tribute to Señor Sto. Niño with proper respect and reverence like an innocent child.

And just like any other princesses, she must also represent her kingdom with real grace, glamour, and elegance.  So all Sinulog Princesses must present herself as fabulous as she could!

A Make-Up Artist Retouching a Sinulog Princess

Truly, people flock to Cebu for these spectacular shows of the event.  But we have to be reminded that the celebration is for the child Jesus.  Just as the Sinulog princesses do, we must lift Him up to the highest and be exalted at all times.  For with or without image, we can worship God in spirit and in truth.

Viva Pit Senyor! 

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