SINULOG

Sinulog is an annual fiesta celebrated in honor of the Child Jesus, known as the Santo Niño (Holy Child) on the third Sunday of January in the City of Cebu, Philippines.

It is the country’s grandest festival that commemorates the Cebuano people’s Christian conversion from their pagan origin as influenced by Ferdinand Magellan in the year 1521. The great Cebuano King, Rajah Humabon  together with wife, baptized as Juana, upon their baptism to Christianity, became the first Christian couple of the archipelago.

The Christian origin of the Sinulog fiesta, brings the devotees to the Santo Niño church, the Basililca del Santo Niño, offering a nine(9)-day Novena during the much celebrated masses of the faithful.  Due to the enormous volume of devotees  attending the Novena masses (10-masses each day during the Novena period), the masses are held at the Basilica’s Pilgrim Center, the open space especially intended for big celebrations such as the Sinulog fiesta.

The local government of the City of Cebu celebrates the festival with the  famous grand street parade featuring participants and contingents coming from all over the country and recently, from the neighboring countries as well.  The Philippine Tourism has been promoting Sinulog as a tourist attraction.  Floods of foreigners and “Balikbayans” (Filipino returning residents) and locals arrive each year to celebrate the famous festival of prayers, pageantry, bright-colored costumes, sounds and dancing to the rhythm of gongs, trumpets and drums as everyone pay homage to Holy Child Jesus, Santo Niño.

By:  Bobby Perez

View:  Sinulog e-Videos