As I grew-up in Tondo, Manila and in 28 years of my life I only experience the Sto. Nino Festival or Fiesta in Tondo and Pandacan. Being in a Sinulog Festival in Cebu is a dream come true for me. My family and together with my best friends experience this once in a lifetime activity of the Saint we adored.
We still blessed to experience the joy of this festival. We witnessed on how you would feel the happiness while watching the parade or procession even you were perspiring to squeeze in a lot of crowds. Many celebrities join the Sinulog parade to promote their upcoming movies or tv programs and this is your chance to be a big fan girl/boy. You can join the street parties too while watching the Grand Street Parade, just dance wherever you are with the beat of Sinulog song or parade song besides nobody will know who you are. Enjoy while it lasts 🙂 The only tip I can give if you will attend this kind of celebration is bring some food and drinks in your bag as most of the restaurant were full. But do not forget to enjoy the food in Cebu like lechon. You can watch the fireworks at night or have some hennah tattoo. And wear your comfortable dress and shoes. I am hoping that after this pandemic of Covid19, we still experience this kind of tradition in our country. Next in my bucket list is the Ati-atihan and Dinagyang Festival.
You already in a province with beautiful tourist spot and beaches therefore after you join the Sinulog you can also enjoy their beaches and have sightseeing.
Some of us are wondering how this festival started in Cebu and why it is quite famous in our country. It’s a part of Philippine history when Spain first colonize our country. And of course because of tourism and religion purpose.
This minor Basilica of the Holy Child of Cebu was founded 456 years ago by Father Andres de Urdaneta and Father Diego de Herrera. It is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in the country. It was built because they found the image of Santo Nino de Cebu during the expedition of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in that place where the church located. This image is the same one given by the famous world explorer Ferdinand Magellan to Rajah Humabon upon the birth of Christianity in the country and christening of his family on April 24, 1521.
When the holy image was handed over to Queen Juana, the wife of Rajah Humabon, it was said that she danced with joy holding this image of the Child Jesus. Then the other locals of Cebu followed her example and this event was the first Sinulog dance. And the dance step of Sinulog was choreographed by Baladhay, Rajah Humabon’s adviser. He was dancing the movements of the river that’s why there is a two-steps forward and one-step backward. And they are shouting while dancing because they were tickling by baby Jesus.
Sinulog comes from Cebuano word “SULOG’ means like water current movement or river movement.
Below are some of the pictures I took from the Grand Street Parade of Sinulog Festival last year.
For this Year 2021, the Cebu City government and the Basilica Minore Del Sto. Niño De Cebu encourage everyone to attend mass and novena virtually or online. And expecting the devotees to cooperate and have some discipline to prevent the spread of the virus.
Some of the links that will help us to know and join the Virtual Sinulog Novena, Mass and Festival are below for your reference.
https://www.facebook.com/BMSNCebu https://santoninodecebubasilica.org/And to those who will miss the noise, sounds, songs, colorful props, costume and dress of the people who join the Sinulog parade, here is the video I saw in youtube. All credits are to the rightful owner of this video / pictures.
Viva Pit Senior Sto. Nino!!!
Jazgotthoughts 