Annual Celebrations

Santo Nino Fiesta

Santo Nino Fiesta is held on the third Saturday of January. History of the Santo Nino, in March 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, in the service of Charles I of Spain, arrived in Cebu during his voyage to find a westward route to the Spice Islands [1]. He persuaded Rajah Humabon and his wife Hara Humamay, to pledge their allegiance with Spain. They were later baptized into the Catholic faith, taking the Christian names Carlos and Juana. Magellan gave Juana the Santo Nino as a symbol of the alliance. However, Magellan died during the Battle of Mactan later that month, and the alliance became more or less moot. The Spanish returned to the Philippines in February 1565. Cebu was the first stop of Basque explorer Miguel López de Legazpi, who would later found Manila. He defeated Rajah Tupas (nephew to Humabon) on April 27, destroying the village in the process. The Santo Nino was found relatively unscathed in a burnt-out dwelling. This event was quickly acknowledged as miraculous, and a church was later constructed on the purported site of the discovery. Today, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño is an important historical and religious landmark in Cebu, with devotees forming long line up to pay their respects to the Holy Child. On the day of the fiesta, before the mass, sinulog dancers performed the ritual that commemorates the Cebuano people's pagan origin, and their acceptance of Christianity. It was in Cebu where the devotion to the child Jesus started. The child Jesus was then processed around the altar in the traditional karakol fashion on a carriage borne by several members of the council. The fiesta is preceded by a nine days novena of masses held at different churches of the diocese.

Our Lady of Antipolo

Our Lady of Antipolo (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) is held in the Saturday of July to commemorate the visit of her image on her way to the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. where an oratory is now dedicated for her. Devotion to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage originated in 1675, during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. Galleon trades began during this period which involved perilous voyages between Mexico and the newly discovered islands. Many of the early traders sought the of protection of the Virgin Mary and carried with them a statue of her from a dark wood in Acapulco. After several successful trips, the traders left the wooden image of Mary which they named Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. The Jesuit priests gave the image a home in a mission east of Manila. Tradition claims that the image often disappeared from the altar and was later found among the branches of the Tipolo (lemon) tree. After a church was built there in her honor, Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage became popularly known as Our Lady of Antipolo. From the combination of the Tagalog word ang (the) and tipolo came the name Antipolo. The hilltop eventually took the name of Antipolo as well and later became a town and more recently a diocese. Very soon it became a national tradition to make a pilgrimage to our Lady of Antipolo, particularly before departing for a long journey. In 1994, the Board of Trustees of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception had approved the enshrinement of a statue of the Blessed Mother that would represent the Filipinos love for the Mother of God. A 200-year-old replica was donated by the Mota sisters from Manila. And in 1995, Filipinos from across the United States raised funds to build an oratory for our Lady at the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C..In July of 1995, the Statue made a 3 days stopover in the diocese on her way to Washington D.C., and so the following year a fiesta was made celebrated in her honor in the diocese. The fiesta is preceeded by a nine days novena held at different parishes of the diocese.

San Lorenzo Ruiz Feast

San Lorenzo Ruiz Feast is held in the last Saurday of September closest to his feast day September 29. He is the first Filipino saint. He was martyred during the persecution of Japanese Christians. Lorenzo Ruiz was of mixed Chinse and Filipino descent. Both of his parents were Catholic. Lorenzo Ruiz was a layman, married and had two sons and a daughter. Born in Binondo, Manila about 1600, he was educated in the school run by the Dominicans there. He served as an altar boy and later a helper snd clerk-sacristan in the church of Binondo. He was a member of the Confraternity of the Rosary. An adverse event made him leave the Philippines in 1636 joining the Dominican mission to Japan. Upon arriving in Japan where Christians were bing persecuted, he was arrested and imprisoned together with his companions. They were tirtured, but did not denounce their faith and died as martyrs. Lorenzo ruiz was beatified in Manila on February 18, 1981, and was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 18, 1987.

See the Annual Celebrations Schedule here.