MANILA, Philippines - Romblon province will hold a re-enthronement of the “walking†400-year-old image of Nuestra Señor Sto. Niño de Romblon at the St. Joseph Cathedral on Feb. 9 following its recovery from an antique collector 22 years after it was stolen, a senior administration lawmaker said yesterday.
Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona said preparations are underway for the inauguration of the revered one-foot tall image that was recovered last Jan. 29 from the unnamed antique collector, who readily gave up the religious icon and reported that it was bought from a local antique dealer.
“Many people have been hoping that the image will return soon to our church,†Madrona said.
He said he got a call from June Mijares, a professor of the Aklan Catholic College, about the possible location of the missing image, prompting him and Fr. Gualberto Villasis, rector of the college, to personally examine it and they agreed that it was indeed the original statue.
The collector did not demand any money from them “but the Nuestra Señor Sto. Niño de Romblon was totally naked with all the trimmings, crown, pedestal, etc. lost.â€
“The antique collector immediately turned over the image to us without any hesitation… The people of Romblon are reunited with the image again,†Madrona said.
He said there was a story going around that the resident priest in the church a long time ago decided to cut off the legs of the image to stop it from walking or moving around.
He said many of the faithful believe the religious icon had been roaming around at night and returning to the church’s altar with its dress filled with amor seco (love grass).