Sto. Niño prominent in many Phl festivals
The Holy Child Jesus is believed around the world to be a miracle worker, and devotees can be found in many places, including Spain, Mexico and Peru. In the Czech Republic, there is the Infant of Prague, a statue believed to have been brought as a wedding gift to a Spanish woman who married a Czech nobleman. In Mexico, the Holy Child has many titles, the most famous being El Santo Niño de Atocha. In Rome, there is the Santo Bambino di Ara Coeli.
In the Philippines, the year begins with a month-long tribute to the Holy Child Jesus. All over the country, devotees to the Sto. Niño carry images in processions, offer flowers and dress the statue. The celebration peaks around the third Sunday of the month, which marks the Feast of the Sto. Niño in the Philippines.
"Reverence to Sto. Niño should be put into practice by showing respect and appreciation for life," said Fr. Conegundo Garganta of the Episcopal Commission on Youth.
Although Church officials urge devotees to focus on the spiritual aspect of these celebrations, many if not all are not only religious feasts but cultural events as well, including the famous Sinulog Festival in Cebu City, where the vibrant colors and endless sights attract visitors from all over the world.
Held annually on the third Sunday of January, the festival is a must-see dance ritual, which honors the Filipino's pagan past and embraces their Christianity. According to historical accounts, when the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in 1521, he presented a wooden Santo Niño to the wife of Rajah Humabon, Cebu's chieftain. This image became the symbol of friendship between the natives and the Spanish conquerors, who converted most of the country to Christianity.
The statue was housed in the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño and San Nicholas de Tolentino church, and is brought out in a fluvial parade every year during the Sinulog, which translates to "graceful dance."
Ati-Atihan
Kalibo, Aklan
3rd Sunday of January
Locals as well as tourists are invited to smear their faces with soot and pretend to be Aetas in this annual festivity, which is known to be a fun-filled and unforgettable experience. Benny Tirazona writes in "Whence Came Kalibo Ati-Atihan" that the history of the Ati-Atihan begins in 1212, when Borneans led by Datu Puti decided to escape from Sultan Makatunaw's tyrannical rule. They crossed the seas on boats called "baeangays," and landed in Panay Island. It was there that they settled peacefully with Ati Chieftain Marikudo. They celebrated the event by smearing themselves with soot to look like their new friends, the Aetas.
Among the Bornean settlers was Datu Bangkaya, who established Madyanos, which is known today as Kalibo, Aklan. When Fray Andres de Aguirre baptized 1,000 inhabitants of the town in 1750, the event coincided with the Ati-Atihan feast. Since then, the festival has become significant not just historically but in a religious context as well.
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