Under overcast skies, throngs estimated by authorities at 3.2 million people lined the streets of Cebu City or joined yesterday’s solemn foot procession on the eve of the feast of the Señor Sto. Niño.
Chief Insp. Wildemer Tiu, chief of the Waterfront Police Station, said the crowd, was slightly larger than last year’s 2.7 million.
He said the estimate was based on the length of the foot procession and the density of crowds that lined the streets. When the head of the procession returned to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño at 5:45 p.m., its tail was still in V. Rama Avenue area or an estimated distance of 2.6 kilometers in between.
Despite the threat of a typhoon stirring up big waves, a fluvial procession in the Mactan Channel pushed through in the morning.
The waters were smooth and no rain fell when it got underway before 6 am. in the Ouano wharf in Mandaue City.
“I believe it was the Sto. Niño who made this happen,” said Fr. Jonas Mejares, OSA, basilica rector, in his homily at the Pilgrim Center where the icons of the Sto. Nino and Our Lady of Guadalupe were brought after the sea voyage.
“Many were asking if the fluvial procession would push through. I gave them the answer: ‘Let us entrust everything to the Lord.’ Lo and behold, instead of experiencing bad weather, we’re witnesses to the calmness of the sea this morning,” he said.
The sea procession was almost cancelled after moderate to heavy rains fell on Metro Cebu and two large vessels ran aground off Lapu-Lapu City, pushed by strong winds and waves, after a low pressure area developed into tropical depression “Agaton” on Friday .
The processions by sea and by land took place on the eve or vesperas of the religious feast of the Sto. Niño held every 3rd Sunday of January.
No untoward incident was reported as a white flower-decked yacht, the M/V Sto. Nino de Cebu, traveled the 6-nautical mile stretch from a new section of the Ouano wharf to Pier 1 in Cebu City.
The boat, boarded by men dressed as Spanish guards, sailed with glass-encased images of the Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe on its bow.
At least 130 fishing boats, motor bancas and larger vessels joined the flotilla.
Aboard the “galleon” were clergy members led by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Fr. Mejares, the basilica rector.
Honor guards dressed as medieval Spanish soldiers flanked the images. One of the soldiers held aloft the Spanish flag.
The fluvial parade reenacted the arrival of the Spanish colonial forces led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan who together with Augustinian missionaries presented the original image of the Sto. Niño to Rajah Humabon and Queen Humahay, who were christened Carlos and Juana.
Before the boat set sail, a Mass was held at the St. Joseph’s Shrine in Mandaue city where the images were kept overnight. A foot procession accompanied the two images to the wharf where thousands joined the sendoff.
Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia was spotted on the deck of the M/V Free Spirit’s. She was carrying an image of the Sto. Niño in her arms and dancing.
Thousands more watched the procession from the shore or from ships docked at the piers. They waved and tooted horns as the “galleon” passed by. Some set off firecrackers. .
Three light planes made flybys and dropped flowers as the flotilla traversed the Mactan Channel.
Devotees welcomed the images of the Sto. Niño and the Virgin of Guadalupe as it arrived at Cebu City’s Pier 1. The images were accompanied to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño for a
Mass that featured a reenactment of the first Mass and baptism in Cebu in 1521.
Despite the slight drizzle late in the afternoon, devotees remained in the procession or stood at the procession’s wayside, reciting prayers and singing praises to the Sto. Niño.
The carroza or carriage that bore the Sto. Niño came out of the Basilica at 1:15 p.m. The procession snaked through the city’s main streets down to Fuente Osmeña before returning to the Basilica at around 5:45 p.m.
Palo (Leyte) Archbishop John Du presided over the pontifical Mass at 6 .m.
In his homily, Du thanked Cebuanos for their generosity to its neighboring province Leyte which was badly-hit by supertyphoon Yolanda. He also reflected on the lessons brought by the string of calamities that hit the Visayas.
“Thanks be to God that Cebu City was spared from the wrath of the typhoon because if not, we from Leyte are already probably dead by now,” he said. “I’m thanking you, Cebuanos, in behalf of the religious community of Palo,” he added.
The bishop said the calamities served as a reminder to the faithful that they’re “still children in God’s eyes.”
“No matter how rich a person is, there will come a time that money would mean nothing and the only one you can lean on is God,” he said.
“We lost our houses, clothes and other properties. After that, we were children again, helpless. But we possess the faith to move on and hope once more,” he added.
He said people should instead be like a child who is “truthful and are good followers.”
“Even the Lord took the form of a child through the Senor Sto. Niño. We should grow up and be child-like in the process.”
Du also challenged people to go beyond an overt display of devotion to the Sto. Niño by applying their faith in their daily lives.
He cited “husbands who abuse their wives and children” and “fresh graduates who only attend mass in the Basilica for guidance on their upcoming board exams.”
“The Sto. Niño is always here to help us but we should never abuse that,” he said.