Pilgrim Image of Santo Niño to join Sinulog sa Lalawigan

The Pilgrim Image of the Señor Santo Niño arrives at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) on Sunday afternoon, January 5, 2020. The image will join for the first time the Sinulog sa Lalawigan parade on January 11, 2020. | CDND file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — For the first time in history, the Pilgrim Image of the Santo Niño will join a minor Sinulog parade.

The Holy Image is currently housed at the Cebu City Jail until noon of Saturday, January 11, 2019. 

It will leave the City Jail on Saturday and immediately proceed to the Cebu Provincial Capitol where it will be greeted by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. 

The Pilgrim Image of Santo Niño will join the parade or the Sinulog sa Lalawigan, which will feature contingents from at least six towns in the province of Cebu. 

The Santo Niño will shortly grace the Sinulog sa Lalawigan at the Cebu City Sports Complex  before it will return home to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. 

Councilor David Tumulak, the chairperson of the executive committee of the Sinulog Foundation Incorporated (SFI), said the Basilica had been kind to allow the Pilgrim Image to joing the Sinulog sa Lalawigan for the first time on its way home to the Basilica. 

“Na atol lang nga mao nay ikanaug sa Image gikan city jail, (It was a coincidence that the Image was going back to the city from the City Jail), and I asked the permission of the Basilica and they approved our request.  This is a sign that Senior Santo Niño really loves the Cebuanos,” said Tumulak in a text message. 

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The Pilgrim Image has been moving from one parish to another, hospitals, facilities, and others since January 2, 2020 before it will rest in the Basilica a week before the feast. 

The pilgrimage is an annual event to bring the Santo Niño closer to the people who may not be able to join the Sinulog. /dbs