‘Search, help others in the faith’

About a hundred priests from all over the country join Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma for the Pontifical Mass celebrating the 450th anniversary of the Kaplag or the recovery of the Sto. Nino image. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)

As God found His faithful through the Sto. Niño, so must they “search and help others” in the faith.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma gave this message to the Catholic faithful who attended the 450th anniversary celebration of the Kaplag or the recovery of the image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu and the Christianization of the Philippines.

“In the Sto. Niño, we find every person. Let us therefore think of our brothers and sisters in the Sto. Niño. Let us not forget those who need help and those who are hungry for the word of God,” he said.

Hundreds of people trooped to the Basilica del Sto. Niño in downtown Cebu City to join the solemn foot procession, the pontifical Mass and the Sinulog Night street dancing and showdown.

Aside from the Kaplag, the Catholic Church also celebrates the 450th anniversary of the presence of the Augustinians in the Philippines and the 50th year since the Sto. Niño Church was elevated into a “basilica minore.”

Filipino faith
In his homily, Palma said it was God’s plan to gather people to Himself through the image of the Sto. Niño.

“It is part of God’s plan that the image given (by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan) to Cebu’s Queen Amihan be preserved and become a symbol of Filipino faith,” the prelate said.

Before the Mass, people took part in an hour-long solemn foot procession of the Sto. Niño de Cebu along the major streets in Cebu City.

The carroza bearing the image of the child Jesus left  the basilica at 2:55 p.m.

A human cordon composed of student cadets,   blue guards, criminology interns and Navy personnel linked arms to secure the carroza and to control the devotees.

Prayers
A military band played the Bato-Balani sa Gugma as they walked a few meters ahead of the carroza.

Devotees walked with the flower-bedecked carroza (carriage) of the Sto. Niño while others waited by the roadsides for the image to pass by.

Some of those waiting for a glimpse of the carroza bearing the sacred image were teary-eyed as they uttered prayers and waved their hands when the image of the child Jesus passed by.

When the carroza passed in front of the University of the Visayas along Colon Street, flower petals and white doves were released from a life-sized angel suspended from  ropes.

Police estimated the crowd who joined the prayer-walk at 3,000.

Hymns
The carroza of the Sto. Niño returned to the basilica past 4 p.m. It was greeted with cheers of “Pit Señor!”  and an audio recording of bells ringing.

After over an hour, Archbishop Palma celebrated the Pontifical Mass, along with 100 priests led by Fr. Jonas Mejares, rector of the basilica, Fr. Harold Rentoria, executive director of the Kaplag, and Bishop Antonio Rañola.

Present during the liturgical celebration were Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and his wife; Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama; Doctors Jose Enrique and Jill de las Peñas, the hermano and hermana mayor for the 2015 Fiesta Señor.

The 450-member Choir Ensemble led by esteemed Cebuano musicians Manny Lapingcao and Joshua Montayre rendered the liturgical hymns.

Awed
Palma said foreign delegates of the International Eucharistic Congress, who attended the Kaplag novena Mass last Sunday, were awed by the faith of the Cebuanos as well as their devotion to the Sto. Niño de Cebu.

“The Sto. Niño is something we can proclaim and be proud of to the whole world. Its feast is unique, and a visit to Cebu is never complete without dropping by the Basilica del Sto. Niño,” he said.

Palma urged the people to always unite themselves with the Sto. Niño even when the Kaplag celebration is over.

“May we forever be united with the Sto. Niño. If in case we lose Him or He loses us, we know where to find him. The Sto. Niño is in our hearts. May we never be separated from Him,” he said.

After the Mass, several contingents offered a Sinulog or ancient prayer-dance.