Sto. Niño devotees start arriving in Cebu

CEBU CITY, Philippines - Devotees of the Sto. Niño from different parts of the country have started arriving in Cebu City for this year’s Sinulog festivities.

Cornelio Dablio Jr., a seaman from Cagayan de Oro, joined the long line at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño to kiss the image of the child Jesus on Monday. He said he decided to come early to avoid the huge crowds, particularly at the Basilica.

"Last year taas gyud kaayo ang linya para mo hawok ni Sto.Nino,mao karon ni advance lang pud ko (We had to fall in very long lines last year just to kiss the image so I decided to come earlier this year)," Dablio said.

Dablio said it was his family that influenced him to become a devotee. It has been his family’s tradition to visit Cebu every January to pay homage to the child Jesus.

"Wala rako nag hangad og miracle, pero love man nako si Sto.Nino mao inig pista sakripisyo gihapon ko og linya (I do not yearn for a miracle, but I love the Sto. Niño so I sacrifice falling in line)," Dablio said.

Also on Monday, Zenaida Jimenez and her family from Laguna offered mass at Basilica. She said they were lucky to be on vacation in Cebu so they decided to offer the mass.

"Nagkataon talaga na bakasyon namin, kaya pumunta kami dito at nagpa-misa (It so happened we are on vacation here so we decided to offer a mass)," Jimenez said.

Henera Artepuerto, a candle vendor at the Basilica who offers prayer and dance on behalf of devotees, said most of those who sought her services yesterday were from Manila.

"Mga 20 ka tuig nako nga nag ingon ani, basta hapit na pista daghan gyud magpa sinug, karon kasagaran mga Tagalog (I’ve been doing this for 20 years and more devotees would ask me to dance to the child Jesus at this time of the year. Many of those who have sought my services were Tagalog)," Artepuerto said.

Sinulog officially kicks off on Thursday, with a penitential foot procession dubbed as "Walk with Jesus," which will begin at the historic Fuente Osmeña Rotunda at 4 a.m.

On January 14, 16 and 17, Filipino delegations from various countries are scheduled to arrive in Cebu for the celebration. The Freeman