2-year preparation on for 450th “Kaplag”

CEBU, Philippines - The Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño will launch the 450thcelebration of Kaplag Festival on April 27 this year.

Kaplag Festival is the commemoration of the discovery of the image of the Child Jesus, the Señor Sto. Niño, on April 28, 1565 by Juan de Camuz, a soldier of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, inside a burned nipa hut in Cebu at the spot where the Basilica stands today.

Fr. Jonas Mejares, the rector of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, said that 2013 is still the 448th year of the said festival but they will be making two years of preparation for its 450thyear, which will be on April 28, 2015.

“We will launch it this year because we will make it a point that starting this year until the 2015, we will be making preparations for the commemorative event in the Church’s and the country’s history,” Mejares told The FREEMAN.

He added that April 28, 2015, will not only be the 450thyear of the “Kaplag” but also the 450th year of the existence of the Augustinians here in Cebu and the 50th year of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño as a basilica.

“It will be a triple celebration, maong pangandaman gyud ni namo’g maayo,” Mejares said.

Mejares said that this year’s 448th celebration will start on April 24 with a mass at the Magellan’s Cross at 5 pm.

Right after the mass, there will be a procession of the image going to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, where it will stay overnight. The next day, the image will then be transferred to the San Nicolas Parish and will stay there for overnight pilgrimage.

On April 27th, the image will be returned to the Basilica del Sto. Niño, where a mass will be celebrated at 5:30 pm at the Pilgrim Center.

Mejares said that he will be meeting the people and committees involved in this huge celebration on Saturday to conceptualize  the series of activities that will highlight the Kaplag celebration.

He expects there will be more devotees that will attend not only from Cebu but also devotees of the Miraculous Child Jesus from the different parts of the country and the world.

He also hopes that whatever activities that they will be coming up for the said celebration, it will be well participated by the faithful.

“Ang involvement dili lang unta from Cebuanos here in Cebu but also from all over the country and in the different parts of the world. Unta kung unsa man ang mga activities nga among masabutan, suportahan ni sa atong mga debotos with their participation,” Mejares said.  (FREEMAN)