Traslacion draws huge crowd

CEBU, Philippines — More than 216,000 devotees gathered in a powerful display of faith, love, and hope as massive crowds joined this year’s Penitential Walk with Mary on Thursday, January 15, a major highlight of the 461st Fiesta Señor celebration.

Living up to the theme “In Santo Niño We Are One,” throngs of faithful converged at the Fuente Osmeña Circle in the early hours of the morning to await the arrival of the Holy Image of Cebu’s patroness, Our Lady of Guadalupe de Cebu.

The procession began at 3 a.m. as the image of the Blessed Mother was paraded from the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe de Cebu in Barangay Guadalupe. Thousands of devotees were already waiting at Fuente Osmeña Circle when the image arrived.

From there, Marian devotees and other Catholic faithful walked the 2.1-kilometer stretch of Osmeña Boulevard toward the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu, the home of Her Son.

At exactly 5:03 a.m., the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe reached the Basilica’s Pilgrim Center, where a sea of devotees welcomed her with the hymn “O Maria Reyna sa Pilipinas,” followed by a Eucharistic celebration.

Rev. Fr. Joselito E. Danao, team moderator of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Cebu City, presided over the Misa de Traslacion at 5:30 a.m., which also marked the first Mass for the eighth day of the novena.

In his homily, Fr. Danao reminded the faithful that God’s will has always been the salvation of humanity, urging them not only to profess their faith but to live out Christ’s love through their actions.

“What is the heart of God? Forgiveness. What is the heart of Santo Niño? Mercy… love. What is the action of Santo Niño? Service,” Fr. Danao said.

Before the Mass concluded, Fr. Danao called Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival to stand before the congregation and led a prayer for him, inviting those gathered at the Pilgrim Center to join in.

“Mga kaigsuonan, atong panalanginan (ug) ituboy nato atong mayor sa panalangin ngadto sa Diyos na Ginoo na sa iyang pagka-mayor na iya tang dalhon sa kahapsayan, kahiusahan, (ug) kalinaw sa atong syudad,” the priest prayed.

Archival later expressed gratitude for the blessing, describing it as an uplifting experience and his first time to participate in the Walk with Mary.

“Sa pagkuyog nako ganina and sa pag-attend nako sa misa, wa gyud ko ga expect nga ingon ato ang sitwasyon nga gi-bless ko sa pari ug sa tanang katawhan,” the mayor said in an interview after the Mass.

He also shared his personal prayer for the city as it faces current challenges.

“Gi-ampo nako na malagpasan nato ang atong pagsuway sa Syudad sa Sugbo unya katung mga tao nga naa sa Syudad sa Sugbo hinaot unta muabag nako,” Archival said.

Despite the huge turnout, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) reported that the Walk with Mary concluded peacefully, with no untoward incidents recorded.

“So far kanina, very peaceful yung naging activity sa Walk with Mary… Zero incident tayo whole activity and maayos yung pagka-kuan (maintain) ng security,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rudolf Oriol, CCPO deputy city director for administration.

Based on the assessment of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, around 152,000 devotees joined the procession, while an estimated 64,000 churchgoers gathered within and around the Basilica compound, bringing the total crowd to about 216,000.

This figure, however, is lower than last year’s estimated 300,000 participants. Oriol noted that the lower turnout may be attributed to the poor weather forecast, which discouraged some devotees due to fears of rain.

Still, Oriol credited public cooperation, the dedication of security forces, and the support of the local government unit for the smooth flow of the procession.

“Yung nangyari kanina, everything happened according to our plan. Isang factor doon is ang cooperation ng mga tao during sa procession. Pangalawa yung dedication ng mga security forces natin, pati na rin yung support ng LGU, at tsaka lahat ng volunteers—doon tayo nagpapasalamat kaya siguro naging maayos at napaka-peaceful yung procession natin kanina,” he said.

Nearly 1,700 uniformed personnel from the Philippine National Police, Joint Task Group Cebu, Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Coast Guard were deployed as early as 2 a.m. to serve as crowd controllers and ensure public safety along the route.

Police also expect larger crowds in the remaining major Fiesta Señor events, including the fluvial procession on January 17, the solemn foot procession in the afternoon, and Fiesta Day on January 18.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Mandaue City, thousands of devotees also turned out for the Traslacion 2026 rites despite a change in schedule.

An estimated 20,000 people witnessed the Traslacion from the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City yesterday, higher than last year’s crowd estimate of 17,000, according to Police Colonel Cirilo Acosta Jr., chief of the Mandaue City Police Office.

Acosta said about 17,300 devotees lined the route during the turnover, while some 2,700 gathered at the National Shrine of St. Joseph upon the arrival of the holy images.

“I was told nga mas daghan karon ang tao compared to last year nga pilgrims and devotees,” Acosta said.

This year marked the first time that Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano personally received the sacred images as local chief executive during the Traslacion.

The images of Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu and Birhen sa Guadalupe met St. Joseph during the Panagtagbo sa Sagrada Familia in Barangay Subangdaku, symbolizing the reunion of the Holy Family.

Mayor Ouano, together with Fr. Ian Balankig of the National Shrine of St. Joseph, received the images from Cebu City Mayor Archival and the friars of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño. It was also the first time that both mayors, as sitting local chief executives, took part in the formal turnover, an annual tradition of the Traslacion.

The event was likewise held for the first time on a Thursday, instead of the traditional Friday.

The images arrived at the National Shrine of St. Joseph at around 9:20 a.m. after a solemn procession that moved at a slower pace to allow devotees more time to view the sacred images.

“We were told by the organizers nga hinay-hinayon lang to also feel the solemnity of the traslacion and ma-enjoy sa mga deboto ang paglantaw sa sacred images,” Acosta said.

He added that favorable weather conditions contributed to the strong turnout.

“Dili kaayo init, medyo bugnaw ang weather maong nanggawas ang mga tao,” he said.

At least 1,600 security personnel from various agencies were deployed in two shifts to secure the event round-the-clock until the images are transferred to Lapu-Lapu City on Friday, January 16. No untoward incidents were reported.

“Peaceful ang atong traslacion,” Acosta said.

Following a welcome Mass presided over by Msgr. Rogelio Fuentes, church and city officials venerated the images. The veneration will continue until 3 a.m., followed by a farewell Mass at 4 a.m.

Mayor Ouano thanked devotees for their cooperation and discipline and expressed gratitude for the “peaceful and well-organized” Traslacion.

“Gaan kaayo atong buot. Lipay kaayo ta nga gitagaan ko ani nga higayon, pasalamat ko ni Señor Sto. Niño ug sa mga Mandauehanon,” he said.

“Effective ug mapasalamaton kaayo ta sa mga Mandauehanon nga maminaw lang sad sa mga personnel nga naa sa kadalanan,” he added.

In his prayer, Ouano asked Señor Sto. Niño to grant good health, safety, and guidance to the people and leaders of the city.

“Bisan unsa atong desisyon, naay malipay ug naay masuko, basta alang sa kaayuhan sa kadaghanan, mao na gyud na atong pilion,” he said.

The holy images of the Sagrada Familia will stay overnight in Mandaue City before being transferred to Lapu-Lapu City on Friday morning, January 16. — (FREEMAN)