CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma challenged thousands of devotees who attended the Pontifical Mass at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu yesterday to reflect on their own walks of life in the name of love.
“Are we serving in the name of love? Nothing can ever separate us from the love of the Niño,” said Palma.
With this year’s theme for Fiesta Señor, “Sto. Niño: Hope of the Pilgrim Church,” Palma expressed deep gratitude for the enduring faith and devotion of the Cebuanos to Señor Sto. Niño, a devotion that has been preserved through centuries.
Palma pointed out that the Fiesta Señor is not only a religious event but also a cultural celebration, deeply embedded in the character of the Sugbuanons.
“The Niño is always there. Maong gikalipay nato kay makaingon gud ta, kita mga Sugbuanon ug tanan nagtuo kang Señor Sto. Niño ever since Bato Balani sa Gugma,” the bishop said.
Palma told the faithful that Cebu’s Holy Child is the hope amid trials and the fountain of joy.
“Señor Sto. Niño paglaum sa pagsulay, tuburan sa kalipay,” he added.
For Basilica Media volunteer Ambrosee Ibañez, who hails from Bohol and who has been in Cebu since 2022, she found guidance and love in the presence of Santo Niño.
In those early months of homesickness and loneliness, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño became a place of refuge to Ibañez.
“It was in those quiet, reflective moments that I felt the presence of the Niño, and it gave me a sense of belongingness and peace. Over the four years I’ve been here, my connection with Him has only deepened,” she shared.
In 2023, Ibañez said her journey took a meaningful turn when she became an intern at the Basilica, where she joined the documentation team for the 40th anniversary of the Augustinian Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu, Philippines.
This opportunity allowed her to witness first-hand the unwavering devotion of the Holy Child's followers, reaffirming the powerful gugma (love) and paglaum (hope) they hold, no matter where they are in the Philippines.
When asked why she continued to become a volunteer even though she already completed her internship, Ibañez said that it's seeing the people affirming their devotion and hope to the Holy Child that made her stay.
“What inspires me to continue volunteering is witnessing the faith of the people, the way they wave at Him, surrendering their worries, and entrust their prayers to His care,” she said.
“My journey with the Santo Niño has been transformative, and I carry that faith and inspiration into all my future endeavors,” she added.
Luke Anthony Caballero said that the 460th Fiesta Señor marked his third year as a volunteer for Sto. Niño.
Despite the challenges and his imperfections, he shared that continuing to serve Sto. Niño meant finding hope and fulfillment in his life.
“I am far from perfect gud, like neither the most prayerful nor the most religious. Yet, despite my flaws and failures, He continues to shower me with blessings, reminding me that His love does not demand perfection,” said Caballero. (CEBU NEWS)