NETIZENS have raised alarm over a Facebook page, “Sto. Niño de Cebu,” which went viral for selling lucky charms related to the Child Jesus and posting lewd materials on the social media site.
The page has been quickly disowned by the Augustinian friars of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu.
The obscene reels were posted on Sto. Niño de Cebu’s Facebook Stories.
One Facebook user commented: “What is this? The one who did this will [attract] karma.”
In an official statement released on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, the friars said the Basilica has only one legitimate Facebook page, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu, which can be accessed through this link: https://www.facebook.com/BMSNCebu).
They said any other pages claiming affiliation with the Basilica are unauthorized and not endorsed by the institution.
“Any other Facebook pages bearing the name of the Basilica are not in any way connected to the institution. We would like to remind all the faithful to be mindful and careful of these pseudo accounts,” the friars said.
The friars further addressed the misrepresentation of the Santo Niño de Cebu with green vestments for luck or charms, clarifying that such practices are not endorsed by the Basilica.
They emphasized the sacredness of the image and the importance of deepening one’s trust and faith in God.
“We do not promote the Sto. Niño de Cebu with green vestments that bring ‘paswerte’ or ‘lucky charms.’ Sacred images remind us to deepen our trust and faith in God,” the friars said.
The Augustinian friars of the Order of Saint Augustine manage the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu, which houses the sacred image of the Holy Child brought by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.
Fr. John Ion Miranda said in an earlier report that they do not venerate or bless images used as lucky charms, including those with green vestments.
He cited a 1994 report from the Union of Catholic Asian News, where the late Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal warned against opportunistic businesses exploiting people’s inclinations towards materialism and superstition by selling Holy Child images in various colors for temporal benefits. / KJF