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.
Preceding the carroza bearing the Sto. Niño was the Our Lady of Guadalupe image.
The crowd lining up along the procession route waved their hands and shouted Pit Senyor when the Sto. Niño image passed by.
Those who waited in the Pilgrim Center in front of the basilica applauded when the Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Sto. Niño images were brought back after the procession ended at around 6 p.m.
Police estimated the number of people who joined the procession at 700,000 and those who joined the pontifical mass in the Basilica at 80,000.
Many of the devotees who joined the procession brought with them their own images of the Niño. Some carried lighted candles while others had with them balloons printed with “Viva Señor.”
Video clips of the procession: