Devotees crowd the pilgrim center of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Augustinian friars of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño are urging the faithful to always “approach and treat” the Sto. Niño with reverence and respect.
They should always “keep in mind the appropriateness” of their actions in order to avoid conflict and misunderstanding, they said.
Basilica friars issued the reminder in reaction to a controversy involving the Sto. Niño vestment that Joy Dacoron, Cebu’s delegate to the Binibining Pilipinas 2023, wore in a photo that was shared on the pageant’s official Facebook page.
Bb. Pilipinas released photos of the National Costume of the 40 candidates on Tuesday, May 16, or two days ahead of the Preliminary Costume Competition.
“When she lost her father to an accident last year, she questioned God, “Ngano man, Lord? (Why, Lord?)” The Sto. Nino paved the way for her to shed off her doubts and made her realize that everything happens for a reason. In gratitude, she is sharing this faith on the national stage,” read the caption on Dacoron’s photo.
Augustinian Friars Reaction
In a statement released on Wednesday, May 17, the Augustinian friars acknowledged that “the devotion to the Holy Child Jesus, Señor Sto. Niño is one of the most popular devotions in the Philippines.”
“As an expression of the people’s faith to the Child Jesus, devotees would visit the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu specifically the Sto. Niño Marble Chapel, attend the Friday novena masses, offer prayers and intentions through lighting of candles, pa-Sinug, singing and dancing Sinulog, while others dress their children as Niños during the Fiesta Señor celebration every January,” they said.
They said that “the wearing of Sto. Niño vestment to children is one of the expressions of faith by parents in order to help them understand and grow their faith in the Child Jesus.”
“Children are the direct manifestations of the Holy Child-special blessings that hold the family together. For parents as the first teachers of faith, it is part of their duty to let their children be closer to Jesus,” the friars said.
However, they said that devotees should always keep in mind the appropriateness of their actions.
“Despite the many expressions of faith and devotion towards the Sto. Niño, it is also important to keep in mind the appropriateness of our actions. As Cebuano Catholics, the Sto. Niño has a profound religious and cultural importance to us,” they said.
The Augustinian Friars are urging the faithful to always approach and treat the Sto. Niño with reverence and respect to avoid conflict and misunderstanding.
“As one Catholic community, let the Sto. Niño be our source of peace in our walk of faith,” the priests said.
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