Saturday, January 20, 2007 Devotees sustain fiesta’s solemnity By Jujemay G. Awit Sun.Star Staff Reporter With Aledel Gonzalez-Cuizon
SEEN from above, it seemed like stars glimmered from the ground as thousands of devotees bringing candles made their way to the Basilica del Sto. Niño yesterday, the ninth day of the novena.
Like the first day, the pilgrim center and the basilica were both packed with devotees. The first day’s penitential foot procession was known as the Walk with Jesus, while yesterday’s activity was the dawn procession or the Walk with Mary.
Thousands assembled at Fuente Osmeña before 4 a.m. to await the arrival of the image of Cebu’s patroness, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The image was brought from Guadalupe Parish, where fireworks marked the start of the parade towards Fuente.
When the image of the patroness arrived on a vehicle at 4:30 a.m., devotees started their march towards the basilica. The scent of lighted candles and incense filled the air.
Some of those who joined the procession brought with them statues of the Virgin Mary or the Sto. Niño.
The image of the patroness arrived at the basilica an hour later, where it met the image of the Child Jesus, Señor Sto. Niño.
During the mass, Fr. Carlito Pono, parish priest of the Our Lady of Guadalupe parish, talked about how the congregation of the Sto. Niño has grown bigger throughout the years.
“Nakita nato ang pagtubo sa congregation...It used to be a religious activity, now it has become commercialized and has become a tourist attraction,” Pono said.
He also traced the changes in the image of the Child Jesus, which now takes on hundreds of forms.
But Pono explained that the essence of the Sto. Niño remains: being child-like, yet with a sense of responsibility.
The first mass was followed by the “misa de translacion” officiated by Msgr. Cris Garcia, chairman of the archdiocesan commission on worship.
Garcia earlier explained that “translacion” or translocation means holding on to the Child Jesus and being connected to the rest of the faithful.
The challenge of the “misa de translacion,” Garcia said, is for each of the faithful to become apostles of God.
“Atong isabwag ang gugma, bisag asa pa ta (Let’s spread love, wherever we are),” he told the second batch of devotees who attended the last novena for the fiesta.
“Let us become witnesses to God’s forgiveness and love,” the monsignor added.
The mass ended with the song Batobalani sa Gugma, with people waving to the image of the Sto. Niño. The host-priest then shouted “Viva Pit Señor!”, and people answered with fists raised.
At that, Garcia told the crowd to cheer for the Sto. Niño with open palms because clenching their fists would make them seem angry at the Child Jesus.
After the mass, the images were brought to the St. Joseph Parish in Mandaue City where, in keeping in tradition, these stay overnight before the fluvial procession that brings them back to the Basilica.
In Mandaue, thousands welcomed the images, including Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano and his family, and students who lined up along the streets and waved little flags to greet the Mother and Child.
In his homily, Msgr. Adelito Abella noted that the devotees of the Holy Child come from various sectors of society.
Abella stressed the virtue of humility: “There is the divine policy to be humble in order to be great.”
While the mass was ongoing, some people formed a line to pay homage to the Sto. Niño and Lady of Guadalupe.
Tanods from different barangays helped secure the images and control the crowd.
After the dawn mass at the National Shrine of St. Joseph, the images were expected to be taken to the Ouano wharf today through a foot procession. A fluvial procession scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. would then bring them back to Cebu City. (JGA/AAG)
