Bells pealed at 8:40 a.m. when the glass-encased images of the Sto. Niño and Blessed Virgin Mary arrived at the Pilgrim Center of the Sto. Nino Basilica where thousands of pilgrims waited.
The icons were carried on the shoulders of men dressed as Spanish soldiers, accompanied by bare-chested natives in slippers.
The soliders planted Magellan’s wooden cross draped in white cloth beside the altar while the choir sang a Cebuano hymn in honor of the Holy Cross.
Fr. Jonas Mejares, basilica rector, rector of the basilica, used a wooden ladle to sprinkle holy water on the heads of spouses Manuel and Evangeline Manalili, who portrayed the role of pre-spanish
Cebu chieftain Rajah Humabon and his wife Humamay, as well as a group of natives.
Cebu’s Humabon got the baptismal name Carlos while his wife was named Juana.
Priests who concelebrated the Mass also blessed the crowd of about 3,000 devotees with holy water.
In the renactment of the first wedding in the islands, spouses Marcelino and Mylene Villamor portrayed the roles of Don Andres de Calapata and Princess Isabel, the first couple to be wed in Christian rites in the Philippines.
Fr. Jonas Mejares officiates the reenactment of the first Christian wedding in the country with Marcelino and Mylene Villanueva as Don Andres De Calapata and Princess Isabel at the Pilgrim Center of the Basilica del Sto. Nino after the fluvial procession. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
This reenactment used to be held on the Friday before the Fiesta Señor but the Augustinian fathers decided to include it in yesterday’s celebration.
In his homily, Fr. Mejares discussed the importance of family life.
“Men should think that while they aim for successful careers, their primary role is to be a father and husband. Women too should know that their primary duty is to be mother and wife among other responsibilities. While having ambitions is good, children, must understand that their role is to respect their parents,” he said in Cebuano.
“”The principal vocatin of a married person is the family.”
For a family to grow in grace and holiness, Mejares said each member should emulate Jesus.
“The reason why there are broken families, broken relationships is pride,” said Mejares.
The rector recalled the faithful’s baptismal promises to “reject Satan and sin as well as to believe in the triune God.”
“Many of us were baptized but there are those who remain Christians in name only. They don’t know live up to the Christian values,” he said.
“Many are hungry for power and money, ignoring the fact that many don’t even have a home. Some remain proud and merciless instead of practicing humility, mercy, and compassion,” he added.
At the start of his homily, Mejares, who is known as the singing Augustinian priest, had a duet with renowed composer Manny Lapingcao. They sang Lapingcao’s composition “Ikaw Makaplagan” which tells the story of the Sto. Nino and the history of Christianity.
Mejares ended his homily by singing Vina Morales’ “Pangako Sa’yo” to remind couples to be true to their marriage vows.
During the Mass offertory, the “natives” offered mangoes, papaya, squash, coconut, guyabano, and live chickens.
As baptismal gifts in 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan gave to Queen Juana the image of the Sto. Niño and a small statue of Mary.
The original icon of the Sto. Niño is venerated in a glass case in a side chapel of the basilica. The small image of Mary was later found in a well and turned over to the Cebu Cathedral. However, the original image could no longer be located.
After the Mass, sinulog dances were performed by members of the Cofradia del Sto. Niño, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the late Estelita “Nang Titang” Diola’s dance group from Mabolo, and the Sandiego Dance Troupe.