CEBU, Philippines - For the first time, the pilgrim image of the Santo Niño de Cebu will visit the Our Lady of Lindogon in Sibonga town, Cebu.
The pilgrimage to Sibonga in southern Cebu is one of the highlights of the five-day religious event in this year’s 452nd anniversary of “Kaplag”, or the discovery of the wooden image of the Holy Child by the ground of Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565.
The two images are highly revered in Cebu as they both are believed to have manifested miracles and granted several favors to the faithful.
The Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Barangay Pahina San Nicolas, Cebu City the Santo Niño pilgrim image is set to journey to Sibonga this morning. It would be welcomed with a Mass.
Father Ric Anthony Reyes of the Basilica del Santo Niño de Cebu, said the visit “of the Son to His Mother” is the first time to happen in Cebu.
The basilica, considered as one of the country’s historical landmark, has been the sanctuary of the original image of the Santo Niño de Cebu that is currently under the custody of the Augustinian community in Cebu City.
Father Reyes recalled that October last year, the image of the Our Lady of Lindogon (locally known the “Birhen sa Simala”) visited the basilica in downtown Cebu City as part of its Marian pilgrimage.
This time, it would be the Santo Niño that will journey to the shrine in Sibonga town,” he said.
“We, in the Church, would like to underscore that Mother Mary is always an intercessor to the Child Jesus. There is this connection between the two. Since as we are also a Marian devotee, we wanted for our faith to be Christ-centered. This devotion to Mother Mary hopefully leads us also to Jesus Christ,” added Father Reyes.
Before the pilgrimage to Sibonga, the Santo Niño image visited the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cebu Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino, as is the annual tradition.
Reyes said the cathedral, being the “mother of all churches” of the Cebu archdiocese, was included in the pilgrimage. It has been acknowledged as the head parish to where a small religious community, back when the image was discovered over four decades ago, belong.
The pilgrimage to Sibonga is the last stop before the Santo Niño image gets back to Cebu City tomorrow for the celebration of the feast day, or the actual date of the discovery of the wooden image based on historical accounts.
Father Reyes said there will be a Mass at the basilica followed an overnight vigil, necessitating that the basilica complex be opened that night until the next day.
He said they intended this year’s celebration to be simple but hopefully would leave a meaningful impact to the faithful. — May B. Miasco, Jahara Mae E. Monares (FREEMAN)