‘Love and devotion’ to the Santo Niño are manifested anew in Hubo Mass

455th Fiesta Señor celebration declared a success; devotees hailed for sacrifices made to attend fiesta activities

The Hubo Mass, the ceremonial undressing of the image of the Santo Niño of his fiesta garments, marks the end of the 455th Fiesta Señor celebration on Jan. 24, 2020. |CDND Photo/Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Sacrifice and humility.

These were the themes highlighted during the Hubo Mass that capped the 455th Fiesta Señor celebration.

Devotees fill the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño for the Hubo Mass on January 24, 2020, which is the conclusion of the Fiesta Señor activities. | CDND Photo/ Gerard Vincent Francisco

Hundreds of devotees flocked to the open Pilgrim Center of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu to witness the ceremonial undressing of the replica of the Holy Child at 4 a.m. today, Friday, January 24.

The Hubo Mass, the ceremonial undressing of the image of the Santo Niño of his fiesta garments, marks the end of the 455th Fiesta Señor celebration on Jan. 24, 2020. |CDND Photo/Gerard Vincent Francisco

In his homily, Fr. Pacifico Nohara Jr., rector of the Basilica, stressed that every devotee’s sacrifice is a testament to their deep-rooted devotion to the Señor Santo Niño.

Nohara said the faithfuls’ sacrifices, manifested through sleepless nights, bearing the heat of the sun, getting soaked in the rain had made the Fiesta Señor activities a success.

“Even if it’s (attending the Fiesta Señor activities) exhausting, even if most of us endured sleepless night. Despite the rains and heat of the sun. And although there were some who fainted. These formed part of our sacrifices,” Nohara said in Cebuano.

Devotees hold on to their Santo Niño images during the Hubo Mass, the ceremonial undressing of the image of the Santo Niño of his fiesta garments, that marks the end of the 455th Fiesta Señor celebration on Jan. 24, 2020. |CDND Photo/Gerard Vincent Francisco

“Through the sacrifices we made, we can clearly see and feel the love and devotion towards the Holy Child. And this is why our Fiesta Señor celebration was a success,” he added.

Hubo, in Cebuano, literally means to undress, wherein the replica of the Holy Child will be stripped of its fiesta clothes, given a ritual bath, before it will be draped with simpler clothes.

The crown was the first ornament to be removed, followed by the orb, scepter, armlet, bands, cap, tunic, inner garments, and boots, respectively.

A devotee lifts up the image of the Santo Niño during the Hubo Mass, the ceremonial undressing of the image of the Santo Niño of his fiesta garments, that marks the end of the 455th Fiesta Señor celebration on Jan. 24, 2020. |CDND Photo/Gerard Vincent Francisco

Before ending his homily, Nohara reminded the devotees to live humbly as the ceremonial undressing of the replica of the Señor Santo Niño symbolizes humility.

A devotee holds on to a tiny image of the Señor Santo Niño during the Hubo Mass, the ceremonial undressing of the image of the Santo Niño of his fiesta garments, that marks the end of the 455th Fiesta Señor celebration on Jan. 24, 2020. |CDND Photo/Gerard Vincent Francisco

“Isn’t it wonderful that the Hubo Mass is speaking to us to humble down ourselves. And our devotion reinforces us to do so – not our mere clothes and other materialistic items,” he said.

After the Hubo Mass, a traditional Sinulog dance was performed by the San Diego Dance Troupe./elb