DEVOTEES and mass goers are discouraged from doing selfies, taking pictures or even broadcasting on social media the nine-day novena masses at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño once this year’s Fiesta Señor kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 10.
Fr. Pacifico “Jun” Nohara Jr., Basilica rector and over-all chairman of this year’s Fiesta, said they are discouraging devotees from doing such acts to ensure that the novena masses will remain solemn.
“Let us not make the Holy Mass an opportunity to take pictures. Let us offer ourselves whenever we go to mass,” Nohara said in Cebuano.
Nohara also discouraged the use of Facebook Live by devotees during the mass since the Basilica will be holding its own live broadcast on its official FB page.
But the Basilica rector clarified that they cannot confiscate the cellular phones of devotees who refuse to follow their guidelines.
Aside from the use of cellphones for photography, Nohara also reiterates their yearly warning of not allowing balloons to be used during the Fiesta.
Nohara said he has already instructed their security personnel to confiscate any balloons that will be brought inside the Basilica.
Nohara also announced that the Basilica will be open for 24 hours once the nine-day Novena masses start on Thursday.
But Nohara said that each day, they will close off the Basilica from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. for immediate clean-up and to arrange the decorations at the Pilgrim Center.
While the road fronting the Basilica will be closed for the novena masses, it will temporarily be opened to traffic at around 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. to give time for business establishments near the church to use the road for deliveries.
Nohara assured devotees that masses will be held during the nine novena days from 4 a.m. until 7 p.m. (From HBL of SuperBalita Cebu, JKV)