Traslacion 2024: Thousands await as Sagrada Familia is paraded on the streets
Devotees welcome the sacred images of the Sagrada Familia with loud cheers and waving hands as they pass by during the Traslacion 2024 on Friday, January 19. | Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Thousands of faithful devotees gathered on the streets to witness the Translacion motorcade, during which the sacred images of Señor Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe were transported to Mandaue City to be united with St. Joseph.
After a Holy Mass at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu, the Traslacion for the 459th Fiesta Señor and Sinulog celebration began its course at past 6 a.m. on Friday, January 19, 2024.
The religious images of Señor Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe were paraded on the streets as they were transported to the boundary between the cities of Cebu and Mandaue for their annual visit to the National Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph.
The streets were crowded with thousands of faithful locals aiming to catch a glimpse of the sacred images during the annual religious celebration.
Locals wait by the side of the streets for the visiting sacred images of the Sagrada Familia on Friday morning, January 19. | Emmariel Ares
Cebuanos of all ages loudly exclaimed, “Pit Señor,” as a manifestation of their unwavering faith and gratitude for the blessings they have received in their lives.
At past 7 a.m., the motorcade arrived at the boundary in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, where the image of the city’s patron saint, St. Joseph the Worker, met the two other sacred images of Mary and Sto. Niño.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes shake hands during the ceremonial turnover of the religious images at the Traslacion 2024. | Emmariel Ares
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes shake hands during the ceremonial turnover of the religious images at the Traslacion 2024. | Emmariel Ares
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, accompanied by his wife Malou, had the honor of officially turning over the holy images to the care of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.
After this, the reunited images of the Sagrada Familia were brought to the National Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph, where they will stay for the night.
On Friday night, a mass will be held at the parish before the images are once again transferred to the Nuestra Señora De Regla National Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City.
The religious icons will then be boarded on MV Martin 8, chosen as the official galleon ship for the Fluvial Procession along the Mactan Channel on Saturday, January 20.
The fluvial procession is an annual activity that dates back to the early 1980s in commemoration of the arrival of the image of the child Jesus in mainland Cebu during the Magellan expedition.
Similar to the Traslacion, it is a much-anticipated event held every January, where thousands of pilgrims onboard sea vessels accompany the miraculous images to display their unending commitment and religious worship.
A noteworthy feature of this year’s fluvial parade is the very first participation of the image of St. Joseph.
In light of this notable change, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes expressed his extreme happiness that the Sagrada Familia is once again celebrated together by Cebuanos.
“Dako kay natong kalipay no nga karon, naapil na gyud ang imahe sa Señor San Jose. Ug nindot sad kaayo kay the essence of this is gitagaan gyug kahulugan ang Sagrada Familia. Nindot nga maapil sad gyud ang amahan, ni Señor San Jose, kuyogan gyud niya ang iyang anak, si Señor Sto. Niño,” he stated.
Being a devotee himself, Cortes relayed that this symbolic reunion of the images of the Holy Family signifies the importance of a close-knit family relationship, especially in today’s society.
Furthermore, he shared his prayers to Señor Sto. Niño for a unified Cebu community that can overcome any challenges thrown its way.
“Ang ako lang unta nga niining mga challenges nga atong giatubang, maghiusa gyud ang mga Sugboanon regardless of unsay status sa atong mga kaigsuonan. Kita, usa ra ta Sugboanon, Filipino tang tanan. And I am confident with all the challenges and obstacles nga atong giatuban, basta kita magtinabangay, way problemang di masulbad,” stated Cortes.
Meanwhile, police in Mandaue City described the celebration as “generally peaceful” as no untoward incidents have been reported as of this writing.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rudolf Oriol, deputy city director for operations of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), stated that this is the result of their meticulous preparations for the event and the deployment of more than 850 security forces along the parade route.
From Barangay Subangdaku to the Mandaue church, a total of 15,000 devotees were estimated to have witnessed the Traslacion 2024.
Oriol added that the public was generally cooperative with authorities in keeping the peace and order despite the huge number of attendees.
This, in turn, resulted in a solemn celebration of the Traslacion for the 459th Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival.
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