San Nicolas Shrine to celebrate "Kaplag 2010"

CEBU, Philippines - San Nicolas de Tolentino Shrine will celebrate “Kaplag 2010” on April 22-25 this year with the theme “Evangelization of Culture: Becoming Witness of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace for the World in our Time”.

Kaplag 2010 is a celebration of the discovery of Sto. Niño in the Philippines, it is a yearly religious celebration that commemorates the finding of the image of Sto. Niño de Cebu on April 28, 1565 by Juan Camus.

Moreover, it focuses on history and religion. It also portrays an important point in church history when paganism embraced Christianity and the triumph of the Agustinian fathers in fulfilling their mission to evangelize new world.

In addition to that, church officials of San Nicolas Parish and the Basilica discussed the possibility of celebrating the finding of the Sto. Niño and called it “Kaplag” which is a Cebuano term for discovery. Thus the word “kaplag” traces back the connection between San Nicolas Parish and Agustinians.

It states that the said celebration is a four-day affair that is usually celebrated in the last week of April. It includes the turn over of the Sto. Niño image from the Agustinians to the Archdiocese of Cebu represented by the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on the 1st day.

On the 2nd day, the titular head of the Cathedral turns it over to San Nicolas Parish where it is accepted as the homecoming atmosphere revered for two days and will be returned to Basilica on the fourth day.

The activity will culminate an Eucharistic celebration and a procession from the Shrine to the Basilica del Sto. Niño de Cebu. It will be headed by the parish pastoral council with support of Rev. Fr. Trinidad Silva. — Chessa Elaine Antipuesto and Abigail Libo-on, NORSU Interns/FPL