Monday, January 21, 2008 ‘White’ Sto. Niño attends Sinulog By LiInette C. Ramos Sun.Star Staff Reporter
ONE figure stood out among the crowd at the Cebu City Sports Center grandstand yesterday. It was quite inappropriately dressed for the event but “happy” to witness the Sinulog grand parade for the first time.
A 30-inch, white-colored image of the Sto. Niño “asked” to be brought to Cebu City so he can watch the contingents offer their prayer dance to him.
The “walking” image is believed to be miraculous and is said to have healed across the country thousands of people suffering from cancer, paralysis, diabetes, arthritis and other chronic illnesses.
It flew on a Philippine Airlines flight from Manila last Thursday with a seat of its own. The image, garbed in white silk cloth with silver sequins, also had its own ticket and seat at the grandstand yesterday.
Through its medium, Martin Herrera, the Holy Child is said to have requested to attend the Sinulog festivities this year.
“Sinabi niya na gusto daw talaga niya mapanood yung mga sayaw sa Sinulog kasi gusto niyang makita iyong mga tao na buma-balik sa pananampala-taya nila sa kanya (He told me he wants to see the people dance and renew their faith in him),” said Herrera, who claims to receive messages from the image by simply touching it.
Healing
Herrera, 42, said the Sto. Niño started to move and heal the sick in 1985, three years after the Herrera family of Tondo, Manila bought it in Betis town in Pampanga.
Since then, hundreds of people have been visiting their house everyday to pray for healing and other petitions, such as success in their endeavors and good health.
The medium told Sun.Star Cebu that the image wants to be called “Sto. Niño White” because of its unusual white color. It moves only when the Holy Spirit is called upon and prayed to, Herrera said.
The Herreras don’t accept money offered to the image, saying that the Sto. Niño does not approve of it. Those who insist on giving money are asked to donate food instead.
When asked to explain how the image moves, the medium said: “Nagkaroon ng banal na espirito ang imahen. Ang Holy Spirit na pumanaw sa larawan at nabuhay sa kanya at mula nooon ay nagpapagaling ng mga may karamdaman (The Holy Spirit is within him and since then he has been able to heal the sick).”
Faith
He admitted that not everyone who comes to offer their prayers are healed, but the image is content to see them renew their faith in him.
As for those who find the healing power of an image to be something bizarre or outrageous, Herrera said it takes a strong faith in the Holy Child to believe the image’s healing powers.
“Sabi nga nila ‘To see is to believe.’ Kung nasaksihan nila, sila na ang bahala maghusga. Pumarito siya para tulungan na maibalik ang mga tao sa simbahan. Hindi naman lahat napa-pagaling, pero ang impor-tante na napabalik sa kanya ang mga tao (It’s up to those who witnessed his healing power to judge whether or not it is true.
But he came here to bring the people back to the church and for him, that is what is important),” he continued.
Devotion
Nimfa Alo, students affairs office head of the University of San Carlos, started her devotion to Sto. Niño White after her prayers for healing were heard.
She said she has seen the image move on several occasions, “but we just cannot explain how it happens.”
Alo said she knows of a stage four breast cancer patient who was healed after praying to the image.
“My husband suffered a stroke in 2003 and the doctors said he can walk in three to six months. We asked for prayers to be offered and he was able to walk in just three weeks,” Alo told Sun.Star Cebu.
