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Sunday, January 20, 2008
1 million turn up for Niño
By Allan I. Varquez Sun.Star Staff Reporter
With Nancy R. Cudis & Jovy S. Taghoy
CLOSE to a million people joined or lined up to watch a nearly three-hour procession in honor of Señor Sto. Niño yesterday afternoon.
Umbrellas in hand, 150,000 to 200,000 devotees, according to police estimates, endured the drizzle and the 1.7-kilometer walk. The rest packed the Pilgrim Center at the Basilica, with thousands more spilling out in the streets or lining the procession route.
Sun.Star Network Online's coverage of the Sinulog 2008 Festival
Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador estimated that the crowd, including those who attended the mass after the procession and those along the procession route, was close to a million.
The murder of a priest in Tabawan, Tawi-Tawi last Tuesday was highlighted at the pontifical mass that began around 4:45 p.m., immediately after the procession ended.
“Live in truth and honesty like a child taliwala sa daghang bakak ug mga pagsulay nga maoy nakaingon sa atong kalisod karon (amid all lies and trials that caused today’s hardships),” said Bishop John Du in his homily.
He mentioned Fr. Rey Roda, who took charge of a religious mission in Tabawan for 10 years until his death in the hands of suspected Abu Sayyaf members.
In separate interviews, those who joined the procession considered yesterday’s event special because they said it made them feel the presence of the Sto. Niño.
It was also an opportunity for them to make a little sacrifice by joining the walk, regardless of the weather.
For wheelchair-bound Joseph Inoc, 15, of Barangay Hipodromo, Cebu City, his paralysis did not pose an obstacle.
Sacrifice
During the procession, he and his mother shared their umbrella with strangers walking behind the Sto. Niño carroza (float) from P. del Rosario St. to the corner of P. Gomez and Burgos Sts.
The carrozas of St. Joseph and of the Virgin Mother preceded that of the Holy Child.
“He was feverish since Friday but he really begged to tag along and join the procession,” Inoc’s mother Elessa Naul said in Cebuano.
The procession started around 2:05 p.m., when Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, carrying a replica of the historic Sto. Niño image, came out of the basilica’s wooden doors.
Devotees gathered at the pilgrim center greeted him with applause.
Vidal then handed the replica to Rev. Andrew Batayalo, who placed it inside a glass case on a carroza.
Soldiers and University of the Visayas (UV) police interns formed a protective wall as the carroza left the basilica compound to start the procession.
Meeting
Amid the continuous pealing of church bells, the devotees released red balloons until the Sto. Niño carroza reached the corner of D. Jakosalem St.
The procession was so long that by the time the frontliners returned to the Basilica del Sto. Niño, the tail end was still in church.
“At 2:40 p.m. the procession already reached the basilica, but the end portion had yet to leave the grounds,” Comendador said in Cebuano.
Around 20 minutes more passed before those at the rear of the procession started moving, he said.
Col. Roque Calagui, 7th RCDG commander, said that 639 soldiers and reservists from his unit helped form a three-layer cordon for the carroza.
Members of the Cebu City Bikers Association, 308 UV police interns, and fourth-year students from different private schools also served as human barriers along the 1.7 kilometer procession route.
People along the way released balloons, as a fireworks display greeted the procession.
Power cut
Comendador said no major problem was encountered, and he credited it to Central Command personnel and civilian volunteers who took charge of crowd control.
However, over 30 people who fainted and five whose blood pressure levels rose were taken to first aid stations.
“(But) we do not have a single case that needs hospital attention. Maybe the cold weather contributed to a not so problematic situation,” said SFO4 Bernardo del Mar of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
He was in charge of the three medical stations inside the basilica premises.
A minor incident involving confetti from party poppers though, prompted Senior Insp. Aileen Recla to ask a group of people in the procession to refrain from using them.
According to a report sent to Comendador, confetti hurled into an electric post on P. del Rosario St. got entangled in a power transformer, causing a brief brownout in the area.
The incident also stalled the procession for a few minutes.
Memory
Earlier in the morning, the steady drizzle that started past 9 a.m. did not dampen the expectant mood of the crowd at the pilgrim center, as they anticipated the arrival of the images of Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe from Mandaue City.
When drumbeats and trumpet sounds marked the entry of the images to the basilica at nearly 10 a.m., several devotees unfurled their umbrellas, adding color to the solemn religious gathering.
The Catholic flock waved their hands while others released balloons and threw confetti when the images passed before them.
Before the altar, heavily decorated with flowers, men and women in native costumes began a reenactment of the planting of Magellan’s Cross in 1521 upon the arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
It was at this site where Rajah Humabon, his wife Queen Juana, along with their followers, were baptized Carlos and Juana and became the first Christian Filipinos.
Incense smoke filled the air while thousands of devotees craned their necks to watch the reenactment of the first mass.
Following the presentations, Msgr. Cris Garcia, chairman of the archdiocese commission on worship, officiated a solemn mass.
His homily centered on the need to renew one’s baptismal vows. Holy water was sprinkled on the devotees as a sign of renewed baptismal vows.
Garcia could not help but comment on the weather, saying that it seemed like Mary, mother of Jesus, was giving the faithful some shade with her veil.
He was also grateful that while a pump boat was reported to have capsized during the fluvial procession, no one was hurt.
At that, the crowd cheered and applauded. (Related story, A4)
Before the mass ended a concise narration on the history of the images of Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe was shared.
Despite the drizzle, devotees remained at the church grounds to watch four contingents—Copragia Sto. Niño, Mabolo, Guadalupe, and San Diego dancers—dance to the beat of the Sinulog.
Devotees, mass participants and revelers could be in for more drizzles today, as the weather bureau Pag-asa projects the weather to be cloudy with rainshowers and thunderstorms. (AIV/JST/NRC of Sun.Star Cebu)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (January 20, 2008 issue)
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