Kaplag: Celebrating the Philippine’s Christianization

For decades, Cebuanos have celebrated the feast of the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) with the Sinulog. It has become a worldwide sensation among devotees from four corners of the globe converging in the city to celebrate the miracles of the Child Jesus.

However, what many Cebuanos, and Filipinos for that matter, may have forgotten is the equally significant event of the finding of the miraculous image of the Santo Niño on April 28, 1565 in a modest native hut by one of the soldiers of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, Juan Camus.

In a statement issued by the Basilica del Sto. Niño, the clergy maintains that the founding of the image of the Sto. Niño is a historical event in the Christianization of Cebu and the Philippines. Because of this, such a celebration was conceived in 2007 in the hope of  commemorating an event of equal value as the Sinulog.

“The day of discovery equally deserves its rightful tribute as that of the Fiesta Senyor honored every third Sunday of January,” historian Fr. Arnel Dizon, explained. “What is there to celebrate if the historic April 28 episode did not happen at all?”

Aptly called Kaplag (Discovery), the celebration gives emphasis on the spiritual significance of the event with Masses commemorating the historic episode of Filipino Christians that started last April 24, the opening day, at the kiosk of Magellan’s Cross. This was then followed by a procession of the Image from the Basilica to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

Last April 25 a special Mass was held at the Cathedral followed by a procession of the Image from the Cathedral to San Nicolas Church.

The Kaplag organizers clarified that San Nicolas Church was included in the program because it is part of the tradition for the Image to stay in the said church for a couple of days but does not give any significance on the claim that the Image was found in the vicinity of San Nicolas Church. Fr. Dizon asserted the church’s stand that the image was found in the vicinity of the Basilica, as historical records in the archives of Spain revealed that the present location of the Sto. Niño is the exact location where the image was found 400 years ago.

The second Huni sa Kaplag Choral Competition was held on the evening of April 26 where different choral groups from the Vicariate of the Most Holy Rosary (the ecclesiastical district of the Basilica) interpreted original compositions from the first and second Huniño song collections.

Today, the Image will be returned to the Basilica from San Nicolas Church and on April 28 there will be a re-enactment of the finding of the image followed by a traditional Sinulog presentation and fireworks display.

Triduum Masses were held that started April 25 until today at the Basilica and on the feast day (April 28) two Masses will be held at the Basilica: at 10 a.m. with His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal as the main celebrant, and at 5:30 p.m. with Most Rev. Emilio Bataclan as the main celebrant.

“The whole Kaplag celebration is conceptualized to further strengthen and promote the devotion to Senyor Santo Niño de Cebu throughout and beyond the Philippines,” Fr. Dizon concluded.