The miraculous image of the Señor Sto. Niño arrived at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) on Sunday afternoon, January 5, 2020. | CDND Photo / Gerard Vincent Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A sight of hope visited patients of Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) on Sunday, January 5, 2020.
Enclosed in His clear glass case, the image of Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu stood across the doors of the Emergency Room entrance of the CCMC.
Hospital nurses, clad in pink ternos and white barongs, danced to the Sinulog beat as they welcomed the image of the Holy Child.
Liezel Tabura, one of the nurses who offered a Sinulog dance, said the presence of Señor Sto. Niño gives hopes of healing to their patients.
“Hospital man ta so sa atong patients gyud ang impact. At least makakita sila nga da ilang faith, duna pay chance nga hopefully maayo sila,” Tabura said.
(This is a hospital so the patients are the purpose of the Sto. Niño’s visit. When they see the image, at least their faith will give them hope that they could still get better.)
The image of Señor Sto. Niño arrived at the hospital past 1 p.m. on Sunday after a motorcade from the Saint Arnold Jansen Parish in Barangay Basak San Nicolas. The Sto. Niño’s visit is held ahead of the start of the nine-day novena in celebration of his annual feast.
A Holy Mass was celebrated at the chapel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) that is located beside the hospital to welcome the miraculous Child.
Relating to the feast of the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Fr. Mario Mejia said that the image of the Sto. Niño has guided the 1521 expedition of Ferdinand Magellan to the Philippines.
“Sama sa bitoon nga nagpakita sa mga dumuduong ngadto sa batang Jesus, ang larawan ni Señor Sto. Niño mao pod ang bitoon nga nigiya niadtong 1521,” Fr. Mejia said.
(Just like the stars that brought believers to the baby Jesus, the image of the Señor Sto. Niño was also the start that led Magellan’s expedition to the country in 1521.)
The Holy Child Niño will stay at CCMC for an overnight vigil. It will leave the hospital on Monday afternoon, Jan. 6, to also visit the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
The image will visit two other private hospitals located along Osmeña Boulevard on Jan. 7 and 8 before it will proceed to the Cebu City Jail to visit detainees from its male and female dormitories. / dcb