THE Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu (BMSN) has announced key adjustments for the upcoming 461st Fiesta Señor in January 2026, including moving the Walk with Mary procession to a day earlier and revising the schedule for the traditional Traslación, seaborne, solemn procession, and Vísperas activities.
The Walk with Mary, usually held on a Friday, will instead take place on Thursday, January 15, followed by the Santo Niño image's overnight stay in St. Joseph National Shrine in Mandaue City, before proceeding to Nuestra Senora de Regla Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City the next day.
The seaborne procession will be held early morning of Saturday, January 17, to be followed by the solemn procession in the afternoon, and the Visperas Mass in the evening.
BSMN media liaison Fr. Jules Van Villa Almerez, OSA said the adjustments were made to give devotees in the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, as well as adjacent towns more time for reflection and participation while maintaining order in coordination with partner agencies.
Under the traditional schedule, the Traslación Mass usually starts on a Friday morning, after which the holy image is transported to Mandaue City, allowing only a relatively short period for veneration at the St. Joseph National Shrine, ending around 11 p.m. or midnight.
The transfer from Mandaue to Lapu-Lapu took place between 12:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., with the Mass following promptly at 4 a.m. before the seaborne procession.
Almerez said the tight schedule meant that many devotees could not approach or kiss the image due to the unexpected delays and short window of opportunity.
"Daghan kayo ang dili makaduol sa imahen. Daghan kayo ang dili makahalok (Many are unable to approach the image. Many are unable to kiss it)," said Almerez in a press conference on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
With the new schedule, January 15, the image will stay overnight in Mandaue City, and on Friday, January 16, the image will depart for Lapu-Lapu City for a second overnight stay.
The novena masses will run from January 8 to 16, and fiesta day on Sunday, January 18, 2026. (EHP)