THOUSANDS of devotees flocked to the streets of Cebu to get a glimpse of the Holy Image of Señor Santo Niño as it visited the island's main cities and town for the Grand Mobile Procession of the Fiesta Señor on Saturday night, January 15, 2022.
The mobile procession, for the second time due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was in lieu of the traditional solemn foot procession during the visperas (day-before celebration) of the Fiesta Señor, which gathers millions of Catholics.
The faithful was asked to stay on sidewalks and designated areas while waiting for the convoy to pass.
The procession started at 6:30 p.m. at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu in Cebu City. It then proceeded to the Cities of Talisay, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and the town of Cordova.
The motorcade made stopovers at the Holy Cross Parish in Barangay Basak Pardo, Cebu City; Santo Tomas Villanueva Parish Church in Barangay Pardo, Cebu City; St. Joseph The Worker Parish in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City; St. Joseph The Patriach Parish Church in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City; National Shrine of Saint Joseph in Barangay Centro, Mandaue City; Nuestra Señora de Regla National Shrine in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City; Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish in Barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City; and San Roque Parish Church in Cordova.
The Image of the Santo Niño then made its first crossover from Cordova to Cebu City through the 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, which is slated to finish construction some time this year.
The Basilica Minore del Santo Niño earlier reminded devotees to observe physical distancing and to follow minimum health protocols to protect themselves of the threat of the coronavirus.
The Grand Mobile Procession was part of the Vispiras celebration of the 457th Fiesta Señor, which anchored on the theme: "Santo Niño: Our Source of Communication, Life for Mission."
The Fiesta Day on January 16 will be celebrated without any street parade due to the Omicron threat of Covid-19 and the devastation left by Typhoon Odette. Santo Niño masses, however, will be available to watch online.
Fiesta Señor 2022 kicked off January 7 and will culminate during the Adlaw sa Hubo on January 21.