Legaspi: Sinulog, Ati-atihan, Dinagyang or Santo Niño?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

THE Philippines is known to be the only Christian nation in Asia. The religiosity, faith and values of the Filipinos are anchored on his belief for Christ. The Filipino is even misunderstood as a fanatic of his faith. His faith is experiential for God will always be the Filipinos saving grace.

On the other hand, the Philippines is also known as the “fiesta” capital of Asia. The Filipinos will often have a very, very long celebration of the feast of a Patron Saint. It would even go beyond the novena days of the saint. Also with the feast of the saint comes a secular festival. To make it more religious and God-centered the image of the saint is always present in all activities that would lead to the fiesta of the saint.

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Filipino culture tells us to always put our trust in the Supreme Being. He will always be there before, during and after us. Look at the statues of the saints around your Church. One could observe the different expressions and age depiction of the saints and even of Jesus Christ.

One author said that the face of Christ varies as to the one having devotion with. He further added that Christ for the child will be the Santo Niño, while Christ for the young lady will be his desired partner for life. For the rich, Christ will be clothed in all glamour and wealth while for the poor, Christ will either be the suffering Christ or the crucified Christ. So, one’s perception of his God or saint depends upon his culture and his mode of life.

Fiestas in the Philippines are mostly anchored on the feast day of the saint. However, in recent times, many of the religious and spiritual significance of a celebration is often forgotten. Concentrations have been made for the secular celebration rather than honoring the Saint. Many of our non-Christian observers would note that Filipino religiosity has transformed into fanaticism. They would critique the celebration to lack religious significance.

Take the case of the celebration of the fiesta of the Black Nazarene. One would often misunderstand the situation because Filipinos had become too unruly during the procession of the image. Even to the point of destroying properties and lives. Those who are from afar will never understand the meaning and mystery of the Filipino faith. The devotees have unexplained fulfillment in the “panata sa Nazareno”. Rational minds will never understand this strong foundation of faith.

The feast of the Child Jesus (Santo Niño) is another fiesta that the Filipinos look forward to each year. This is not because of their strong devotion to the child Jesus but it is more of the merrymaking that counts. However, when one is there in the streets seeing the dancers with Santo Niños, one could immediately sense that the secularism has transformed into a religious celebration.

However, no matter how we explain the events in its spiritual perspective, secularism has really sipped into the being of the Filipinos together with his spirituality. It is this that lessens the religiosity of the affair. The image of the Child Jesus have changed through the years that instead of our lives suiting to the faith, we let faith suit our needs and wants. The different fiesta in the Philippines in honor of the Santo Niño will continue to have new names but hopefully the religious significance of the celebration remains.

Last week, coming home from Manila, I went with some young ladies in the plane and they were talking about going to the southern and northern part of the province to attend the celebration. Hearing them, they were talking about drinking, eating and merry making but none mentioned about the religious significance of the celebration. The ladies were in their early 20’s. While in the shuttle, I sat beside an old man who spoke in tagalong and was telling me that he wants to see the Santo Niño in Cebu before he leaves for his final destination. He said that this is his last wish and if given the chance, he will go to Cebu. I asked him why was he in Bacolod? He told me he is here to attend the Sinulog in Kabankalan because he heard that there is free beer there.

Anyway, this is it.

Sto. Niño, have mercy on us; St. Ezekiel Moreno and St. Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us; Blessed Pedro Calungsod and John Paul II, pray for us; and Sir Faraon Lopez, pray for us.