With his father lifting him up, a child touches the glass case containing the replica of the Senor Sto. Nino image in the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino in barangay San Nicolas. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
HUNDREDS of devotees waited by the roadside, waved their hands, threw confetti and offered prayers as the image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu was brought in a motorcade from Cebu City to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City.
Augustinian priest Fr. Harold Rentoria, executive director of the 450th Kaplag celebration, escorted the image along with lay ministers from the Basilica del Sto. Niño and devotees on motorcycles and in vehicles down the city streets of Cebu City.
At the border of the two cities in barangay Subangdaku, young dancers performed a Sinulog.
Along the route of the traslacion motorcade, devotees set up mini-altars of Sto. Niño de Cebu and other sacred images.
The pilgrim image of the child Jesus stayed at the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas in Cebu City for two days before it was transferred to Mandaue City in preparation for today’s fluvial procession.
Overnight vigil
Carillons pealed when the motorcade arrived at the National Shrine of St. Joseph at around 11 a.m. yesterday.
Fr. Benjamin Cortes, a member of the shrine’s team of pastors, celebrated the Holy Mass for the Sto. Niño.
People lined up inside the church to venerate the images left for an overnight vigil.
At 4 a.m. today, Fr. Jonas Mejares, rector of the Basilica del Sto. Niño, will preside over the send-off Mass at the National Shrine of St. Joseph.
After the dawn Mass, the Sto. Niño image will be brought in a foot procession to a private wharf and boarded on a yacht owned by the family of the late Ernesto Ouano for the fluvial procession through the Mactan Channel at 6 a.m.
The icon will be brought back to the Basilica upon arrival at Pier 1 of Cebu City.
In an interview Fr. Rentoria said those who will board the yacht will be mostly Augustinian priests who are celebrating the 450th anniversary of the arrival of their congregation in the Philippines.