Celebration of the Santo Niño

The Diocesan Council of Filipino Catholics (DCFC), Diocese of San Jose, invites one and all to the annual celebration of the of the nine-day Novena Masses in honor of Santo Niño (Holy Child) from January 6 to January 14 to be held at different parishes. Most Reverend Bishop Oscar Cantú will preside at the final celebration on Saturday, January 15, at 11am at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 80 S. Market Street, San Jose.

The Santo Niño de Cebú (Spanish: Holy Child of Cebu) is a Roman Catholic title of Jesus Christ associated with a religious vested statue of the infant Child Jesus venerated by many Filipino Catholics who believe it to be miraculous. It is the oldest religious Christian image in the Philippines, and was originally given in 1521 as a baptismal gift by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan via Antonio Pigafetta, who physically handed it to Lady Humamay, the principal wife of Rajah Humabon, along with a statue of the Our Lady of Guidance and a Cross. The image merited a Papal recognition on 28 April 1965 when Pope Paul VI issued a papal bull for the Canonical Coronation and Pontifical High Mass via the papal legate to the Philippines, Cardinal Amleto Giovanni Cicognani who concelebrated it’s 400th centennial anniversary. The image measures approximately twelve inches tall, and is believed to be originally made in Flanders, Belgium. The statue is clothed in valuable textiles, and bears an imperial regalia that includes a gold biretta crown, globus cruciger, and various sceptres mostly donated from devotees in the Philippines and abroad. The Santo Niño image is replicated in many homes and business establishments, with different titles reinterpreted in various areas of the country. The Holy Child’s feast is liturgically celebrated every third Sunday of January, during which devotees carry a portable Santo Niño image onto the street fiesta dancing celebrations. The image is one of the most beloved and recognizable cultural icons in the Philippines, found in both religious and secular areas. It is permanently encased within bulletproof glass at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

Discover more about the Holy Child’s story at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Niño_de_Cebú