Sto. Niño de Cebu's visit, a milestone for Catholics

LIMASAWA, SOUTHERN LEYTE  ,Philippines – The arrival of the Sto. Niño de Cebu in Southern Leyte has completed the cycle of the Catholic Faith in the country, according to Fr. Tito Soquino, who accompanied the holy icon’s first travel from Cebu to Maasin City and then to this historic island.

Soquino said the visit of the Sto.Niño de Cebu in Limasawa, where the First Mass was held 491 years ago, was crucial for the whole church. “The visit, coupled with the Augustinian Order’s 500 years celebration in 2015, is the milestones of Christianity in the Philippines,” he said.

“Ang pag-anhi sa Balaang Bata sa Limasawa dili lang pagbisita sa sinugdanan sa Kristianismo sa nasud. Lakip usab niini ang iyang kagustuhan pag-protektar sa kinaiyahan pinaagi sa ecological evangelization,” said Soquino, the guardian of the Holy Child.

The Agustinians, in response to Pope Benedict XVI calls for new and relevant evangelization, have crafted a program for environment protection, taking into consideration the vulnerability of the country to disasters and climate change, he said.

“Sooner or later our islands will be erased. Shall we wait for that? As Christians what will be our response? Soquino asked the Catholic faithful during a forum held inside the parish rectory of the Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral in Maasin City, where the Sto. Niño icon stayed last March 30 before leaving for Limasawa the next day.

Soquino said the Sto. Niño de Cebu’s visit was going back to the roots of our faith 491 years ago. It is also to refresh the people’s commitment and a reminder that God came to our shores and therefore let Him remain in us,” he said.

Commodore Roberto Santos, commander of Naval Forces Central, acknowledged the Sto. Niño de Cebu as the Lord Admiral of the Sea, saying he was proud to accompany the Holy Child in sailing to Southern Leyte.

“Ako’y masaya na samahan ang pinakamataas na official sa kanyang paglibot sa kanyang nasasakupan dito sa Leyte,” Santos told The FREEMAN during the arrival of the image in Maasin. “Very historic, highly spiritual and nakakaluwag ng puso,” he described his feeling during the trip from Maasin to Limasawa on board a Navy boat.

NAVFORCEN public affairs officer Joseph Ison showed to The FREEMAN that the flag of the Holy Child was hoisted on the ship higher than other flags, based on Navy tradition.

“The rank admiral (4-star general) is the highest given to a navy officer, making the Sto. Niño the highest ranking officer on board; an address informing everybody on the ship that Lord Admiral of the Sea is on board and will be repeated as soon as He embarks. These tasks are performed as part of our tradition,” he said.