Devotees wave their hands as the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe arrives at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. [FILE PHOTO] CDN Digital photo | Morexette Marie B. Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuanos will celebrate the 460th Fiesta Señor in two months.
And the Augustinian friars at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño (BMSN) in Cebu have started preparing for the activities in January 2025.
The steering committee for the Fiesta Señor 2025, led by the Basilica friars, announced their preparations for the most anticipated event every January in a press conference on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
The theme for the 460th Fiesta Señor is “Santo Niño: Hope of the Pilgrim Church.”
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“As the Church celebrates this year the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025, themed “Pilgrims of Hope,” so we also proclaim once more our faith in the Lord Jesus through our devotion to Señor Santo Niño, through which the Christian faith was firmly established in the Philippines,” said Fr. Jules Van Almerez, Basilica’s media liaison.
Acording to Almerez, they are “70 percent” ready for next year as they are still getting permits to be approved.
They are also waiting for the final updates from the Cebu City government for the safety measures in Osmeña Blvd., where the construction of the Bus Rapid Transit is still ongoing, since it will be used for the foot processions.
The opening salvo, or start of the nine-day novena, will be on January 9, 2025, and the feast day will be on January 19, 2025.
Routes
The Penitential Walk with Jesus will be on January 9, 2025, and the Penitential Walk with Mary on January 17.
The routes used during the 2024 Fiesta Señor are retained. Both processions will have their assembly time at 3 a.m. and start at 4 a.m. from Fuente Osmeña Circle – Osmeña Boulevard – Basilica.
Meanwhile, the Solemn Foot Procession, which will take place on January 19 at 1 p.m., has a new route.
For Fiesta Señor 2025, the route for the Solemn Foot Procession will be from Basilica – left to Osmeña Blvd. – right to Gen. Maxilom Avenue – right to Imus Ave. – left to MJ Cuenco Ave. – right to Osmeña Blvd. – back to Basilica.
Moreover, the ‘MV Sto. Niño de Cebu’ of the Medallion Transport Inc. will be the official Galleon of the 460th Fiesta Señor.
Pio Serafin Fulache, Medallion Transport’s representative, said it was a ro-ro passenger vessel that could accommodate 450 passengers.
Dress code policy, security
Moreover, the dress code policy enforced last October will still be implemented even during the Fiesta Señor celebration.
Those who fail to wear appropriate attire will be barred from entering the Basilica.
They would also observe a maximum capacity of up to 5,000 in accommodating devotees inside the Basilica, said Fr. John Ion Miranda, a member of the Fiesta Señor executive committee.
For those who cannot get inside the pilgrim center, the same setup from the previous Fiesta Señor will be observed, with LED screens placed outside the Basilica, specifically in Plaza Sugbo, Osmeña Blvd. and D. Jakosalem St. near Kaking.
The Basilica also applies the same rules to the devotees when it comes to entering the vicinity to attend the novena masses.
Backpacks are still prohibited, and only small bags are allowed.
The friars hoped the devotees attending the masses would observe proper etiquette to avoid untoward incidents.
They will also establish a multi-agency command and press center in the audiovisual room of the Colegio del Santo Niño (CSN).
Entrances and exits
Similar to the 459th Fiesta Señor, there will be separate entrances for the novena mass attendees, those who will venerate the image of Sto. Niño de Cebu, and those who will offer petition candles.
The candle area, or ‘dagkotanan,’ will be transferred to the CSN ground, as the present dagkotanan will be utilized for mass goers and the medical team.
The entrance for dagkotanan will be at the small gate of CSN in the corner of Magallanes and D. Jakosalem Sts.
The entrance for the holy/novena masses will be the Magellan’s Cross Kiosk Gate for the general devotees. At the same time, the P. Burgos Gate will be used by the PWD, senior citizens, BMSN volunteers, mass servers, clergy, religious, emergency responders, and other BMSN guests.
Once the maximum number of attendees has been reached, the entrance gates will be closed, and all entrances will be closed at 8 p.m.
All the exits will be in Osmeña Blvd. and the bleacher area of P. Burgos gates.
Meanwhile, the gates will be open 24 hours from Saturday (Visperas) to Sunday (Fiesta Señor Day). They will only be closed for clearing from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.