PHL: CEBU 2011 Sinulog "IMAGES" of the Feast of Sto. Nino

The Philippines is an archipelago, made up of three major islands:  Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.  Cebu is an island in the Visayas.

January is a special month for Cebuanos (residents of Cebu) in the Philippines.  Every third Sunday of the month, the Feast of the Sto. Nino is celebrated through religious activities and the SINULOG, a festival that commemorates the events that happened in 1521, when the Sto. Nino was accepted by the then pagan Queen Juana from Ferdinand Magellan of Spain.  That marked the start of the Catholicism in the Philippines.  

Sto. Nino de Cebu
Photo by Vicmaro

This year, the 12-day celebration of the feast of the Sto. Nino, began Jan. 6.  Novena masses were said for nine days from Jan. 6 until Jan. 14.   There are 10 masses each novena day...despite the schedule, the Basilica del Sto. Nino was always full of devotees and pilgrims from mass to mass.  In the novena masses, the famous GOZOS is always the offertory song.

Devotees and pilgrims flock and fill the novena masses in honor of the Sto. Nino
Photo by Vicmaro

These are the activities and images of the feast of the Sto. Nino:

Jan. 6 - 14  Novena Masses

Basilica Minore del Santo Nino
Taken at 1230nn, in between novena masses
Photo by Vicmaro

Jan. 6  Solemn foot procession from Fuente Osmena to the Basilica
Jan. 7  The Sinulog Foundation kicked off its activities with a mass and a parade from the church to the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC).
Jan. 8 Sinulog sa Kabataan - Lalawigan (province schools contingents)

Sinulog sa Kabataan - Lalawigan contingent
Photo by Ariel Aying Salupan

Jan. 9 Cebu City Marathon - the biggest event of its kind to hit Cebu

Aerial shot of the start/finish line
Photo by Arni Aclao of Sunstar Cebu/www.sunstar.com.ph

Sinulog sa Kabataan - Dakbayan (city schools contingents)
A separate presentation and contest, called Sinulog sa Kabataan (Youth) was held for the youth or the students, usually from public schools within the city and province.  The winners get the chance to compete in the SINULOG contest on festival day.

Sinulog sa Kabataan - Dakbayan (city) contingent

Photo by H.Port

Sinulog sa Kabataan - Dakbayan (city) contingent

Photo by H.Port

Jan. 12  Miss Cebu 2011 was held at Waterfront Hotel and Casinos
Jan. 14  Walk with Mary (foot procession), followed by Traslacion

Motorcade of the image of Sto. Nino from the Basilica to St. Joseph Parish during the Traslacion
Photo by Vicmaro

Jan. 14 Judging and crowning of Sinulog Festival Queen 2011

2011 Sinulog Festival Queen
Photo by H. Port

Jan. 15 Fluvial Procession in the morning and Solemn (foot) Procession in the afternoon

Fluvial procession, also a re-enactment of the coming of the Spaniards to colonize Cebu
Photo by Vicmaro

Galeon and trade
Photo and text by Sunstar Cebu, Cebu's leading newspaper ( www.sunstar.com.ph)

Despite really heavy downpour, devotees stayed with the Sto. Nino all throughout the procession route
Photo by Sunstar Cebu, Cebu's leading newspaper (www.sunstar.com.ph)

Jan. 16 Feast of the Sto. Nino and the SINULOG Festival 

The day starts with a Mananita Mass, followed by the Pontifical Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Cebu Jose Palma.  Again, despite heavy rain, the Basilica square was full of devotees honoring the Sto. Nino.

At the Cebu City Sports Complex, on the other hand, the Sinulog Festival and Grand Parade was declared open by 10am.  The SINULOG is the cultural aspect of the feast, where contingents from all over the country perform Sinulog-based and free interpretation dances.  

Photo by Vicmaro

The dance steps reflect movement of the sea, its tide and current. SINULOG comes from the word "sulog", a native word meaning sea current.  

Photo by Vicmaro

The SINULOG originated as an activity to mimic the movement of the sea, and is basically a two-step forward and a step-backward routine. The sea is relevant in the coming of the Sto. Nino, being brought to Cebu on a galeon ship from Spain.  

Photo by Vicmaro

There are many contingents vying to win the prestige of the contest.  Since the prize money is usually not enough to cover the expenses of the contingents, it is believed that the performance is more of an offering and more for the prestige than the money.  

Placer Masbate won (again!) the First Place in the Free Interpretation Category of the Sinulog Contest
Photo by Sunstar Cebu, Cebu's leading newspaper/www.sunstar.com.ph

The festivities last for more than a week.  Nightly, there are activities in the city, both sponsored by the government and private sector.  Except for the Miss Cebu pageant and the entrance at the Cebu City Sports Complex, where one gets a good view of the performances from the bleachers, almost all (if not all) activities during the period are FREE!  One may not even purchase tickets for the grandstand, since the dancers and their props dance around the city in a carousel route.  Watching from the streets gives one a chance to watch the performance for free, in addition to enjoying the festive atmosphere in the streets.

One only pays for hotel accommodation ($20-$100) and airfare or boat fare (depends on where you're from!) coming to Cebu, and the number of days stay in Cebu depends on one's budget.  Average cost of meals in Cebu is from $2-$10 per person.

For Sinulog tips, go here.