Devotees greet arrival of Sto. Niño icons in Mandaue City

A sea of devotees were on hand to greet the images of Sto. Nino and the Lady of Guadalupe as they arrived in Mandaue City for an overnight vigil. The devotees who lined each street waved their hands as the glass encased icons passed by.

Residents set up mini altars of Sto. Niño along the parade route while some children in barangay Mabolo dressed in red and gold danced the traditional Sinulog. It took three hours before the traslacion (Spanish word for travelling) ended at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City.

After it passed through the streets of D. Jakosalem, General Maxilom Avenue, Gorordo Avenue, Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Juan Luna Avenue (San Jose dela Montaña) and M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama turned over the traslacion convoy to Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.

When the images arrived, the bells pealed and the devotees waiting at the St. Joseph shrine sang “Bato Balani sa Gugma” while waving their hands. Msgr. Daniel Sanico, rector of the National Shrine of St. Joseph officiated the mass.

In his homily, Msgr. Sanico explained that traslacion reflects “Jesus’ journey from heaven to earth to save mankind”. “It also reflects our journey from this world to heaven. So let us not be distracted by the things of the world. Let us understand what the traslacion and other activities in honor of what the Child Jesus is about. The fiesta Senor is not about revelries. It is about understanding our journey of faith,” he added.

After an overnight stay in the Mandaue Shrine, the images will be brought back to the Basilica del Sto. Niño in a fluvial procession down the Mactan Channel. It will leave Ouano wharf in Mandaue City at 6 a.m. then follow a procession towards the basilica where a reenactment of the first baptism and planting of the cross by Portugues explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the Philippine soil.

Despite the tropical depression issued over Mindanao, Coast Guard Cebu station commander Rodolfo Villajuan said there is no reason to cancel the fluvial procession. “There is no significant reason to cancel the fluvial procession tomorrow. The Mactan channel is safe for voyage,” Villajuan said.