Sunday, October 12th, 2008 • Cebu, Philippines
Thousands of devotees joined Saturday’s solemn procession that marked the religious aspect of the feast of the Sto. Niño de Cebu.
The procession started at 2 p.m., with Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal accompanying the image of the Sto. Niño during the walk from the Basilica del Sto. Niño compound through the streets of Plaridel, Magallanes, Borromeo, Leon Kilat, P. del Rosario, Junquera, Colon, Mabini, P. Burgos and back to the church for a pontifical mass.
The Sinulog grand mardi gras is under way and if you’re not in Cebu City, you’re missing an explosion of colors, dances and Sto. Niño devotion. The city center is packed with people: devotees carrying their own Sto. Niño images, tourists lugging around cameras, teeners riddled with henna tattoos and just about every one else.
Performers from the Zapatera Elementary School and Camp Lapu-Lapu National High School romped away with the top prizes in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan held Sunday afternoon at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Both contingents bested nine others in their respective categories and also won the best in costume awards.
Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia will start her Suroy-Suroy Sugbo tourism project this year with the Southern Heritage Trail, which will run from January 24 to 26 in 21 Cebu towns.
With the proximity of the Suroy-Suroy dates to the Sinulog celebration, Garcia expects more local and foreign tourists to participate in the Southern Heritage Trail, which will have Talisay City as its first stop.
The solemn procession and high mass scheduled this year on January 20 is the religious highlight of the Sinulog, Cebu’s celebration of the feast of the Holy Child Jesus.
During the procession, an of the Sto. Niño is brought out of Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño and placed on top of a carriage that will take it around downtown Cebu City. The image is a replica of the statue left behind by Portuguese and Spanish explorers in 1521 and found preserved in a burned wooden box in 1565.
Going into the specifics of the Sto. Niño's role in the everyday Cebuano life earned for Barangay Labangon the top prize in Sunday's Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan secondary division. → Read more
Do you need a clean but affordable accommodation for your Cebu trip? We check out Elicon Pension House, a popular pension house among regular Cebu City visitors. Elicon is located in the heart of downtown Cebu City. → Read more
Its towering facade blends Muslim, Romanesque, and neo-classical architecture, this church of the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu--which translates literally as "holy child of Cebu." → Read more
Fort San Pedro is the oldest and smallest fort in the Philippines. Built by the Spaniards to repel sieges by hostile natives and Muslim pirates, the fort was deemed finished in 1738, some 200 years after it started construction. → Read more
Travel by boat and van from Cebu to Calicoan in Eastern Samar is one long and rough ride but the wonders of the island are worth every minute of ache and discomfort. → Read more