THE two Sto. Niño churches in the City of Manila have canceled all physical activities related to the Feast of the Holy Child Jesus this coming weekend.

In an announcement by the Archdiocese of Manila, the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Niño de Tondo and the Sto. Niño de Pandacan Parish postponed all public fiesta celebrations set on January 16.

"Following the surge of Covid-19 cases and the prevalence of its Omicron variant in National Capital Region, two Santo Niño churches in the City of Manila will be closed to the public for the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Child Jesus," said the Archdiocese of Manila.

Instead, it said the two churches will hold live online fiesta Masses over their respective Facebook pages.

Tondo Church’s fiesta Masses will be held hourly starting at 5 a.m. to 11 a.m., and from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., through their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stoninodetondoparish/.

A day earlier, January 15, the Archdiocesan Shrine will also have three online Fiesta Masses at 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 7 p.m.

Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula will preside his first Santo Niño Fiesta Mass during the 5:30 p.m. celebration on January 15 at Tondo Church.

Pandacan Church will stream live its fiesta celebrations at 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. via their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stoninoparishpandacan/.

"Both churches are urging the faithful to continue praying for the end of the worsening pandemic and to celebrate the feast day safely wherever they may be," said the Archdiocese of Manila.

Earlier, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno announced the suspension of all physical Masses at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Sto. Niño de Tondo and at the Sto. Niño Parish in Pandacan.

To note, the devotion to Santo Niño de Tondo began way back in 1572.

The veneration to Santo Niño de Pandacan began in the early 1600s. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)