Talisay City performers celebrate after learning of their win. (CDN PHOTO File Photo)
ALTHOUGH January is over, the events in honor of the Sto. Niño persist.
In Talisay City, the Sto. Niño de Cebu Parish in Lower Mohon has started its series of activities leading to the feast of its patron on Feb. 12, Sunday.
Fr. Jonas Mejares, who is on its first year as parish priest of the Augustinian-run church, decided to introduce similar activities to that of the Basilica del Sto. Niño, where he served as rector for four years.
“I decided to enhance and pattern the schedules here to bring it closer to what we used to have at the basilica basically to further propagate the devotion to the Sto. Niño,” he told Cebu Daily News.
Mejares said the Sto. Niño has become a part of Cebuano life and an integral part of the Catholic faith in the island and the entire country.
“Cebuanos are gifted with two things: music and faith. And this faith we now have started with the Sto. Niño. He is certainly the source of everything, and what impact our devotion to the Child Jesus has been throughout the years,” the ever-vibrant priest said.
The fiesta’s Hermano and Hermana Mayores for 2017 — spouses Jupiter and Sweet Roble of Roble Shipping — were officially presented to the people during the Mass last January 29.
The parish’s 33rd annual fiesta was ushered in by a dawn procession dubbed as “Walk with Jesus and Mary” last Feb 2.
Two novena Masses are held every day: 6 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
On Feb. 11, Saturday, the image of the Sto. Niño will sail down the seas of Talisay City on board a pumpboat for the fluvial procession that will start at 7 a.m.
It will be followed by a 9 a.m. Mass with a reenactment of the first Mass and Christian wedding in Philippine soil.
At 2 p.m. of the same day, the solemn foot procession of the Sto. Niño will be held along the city streets.
Fr. Andres Rivera, the prior provincial of the Augustinian Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu-Philippines, will preside over the 5:30 p.m. Mass. A traditional religious Sinulog will follow.
On Sunday, Feb. 12, Fr. Vicente Ampalayo, school director of the Colegio del Sto. Niño, will officiate the Mañanita Mass at 5:30 a.m. to be followed by a Mass for the overseas Filipino workers at 7 a.m. by Fr. Andy Saturno.
At 8:30 a.m., another Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Dan Domingo delos Angeles.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma will preside over the pontifical Mass at 10 a.m.
At noon, there will be a Sinulog street dancing from Barangay Pooc to the parish grounds where 10 contingents will compete.
Fr. Pacifico “Jun” Nohara, the rector of the Basilica del Sto. Niño, will officiate the Thanksgiving Mass at 6 p.m. of the same day.
The 33rd parish fiesta carries the theme “Santo Niño: Tuburan sa Panaghiusa sa Kristohanong Katilingban (Santo Niño: The Source of Communion in a Christian Society),” which is patterned to the pastoral thrust of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on the Year of the Parish.