Priests to be honored in Sto. Niño feast

MANILA, Philippines - Sto. Niño devotees pay homage to priesthood when they celebrate the Child Jesus’ feast in January.        Spearheaded by the Congregacion del Santissimo Nombre del Niño Jesus, the annual celebration in 2010 has for its theme “Santo Niño: Ilaw at Gabay ng Kaparian” (Infant Jesus: Light and Guide of Priests and the People of God).

John Irwin Enriquez, a Congregacion member, said the celebration was in keeping with the declaration by Pope Benedict of June 2009-June 2010 as Year of the Priests. The centerpiece of the 2010 event would be the Santo Niño de San Antonio, in honor of the apparition of the Child Jesus that St. Anthony of Padua, a priest, had.

The Congregacion is encouraging devotees, who will participate in the annual event, to dress their images of the Child Jesus in priestly garments. Registration of participating images will be Jan. 18 to 20, open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the lobby of the PNB Financial Center or call Jean or Weng at 525-3421 or 524-8439, or Daisy at 525-9126.

On Jan. 21, 5 p.m., the exhibit of about 500 Sto. Niño images will open at the Philippine National Bank building on Diosdado Macapagal Avenue, Reclamation Area, Pasay City. From Jan. 21 to 30, a number of priests will expound on the meaning of the theme during the novena that will start at 6 p.m.

Also in keeping with the theme, an exhibit of priestly garments made of indigenous materials and designed by Dom Martin OSB (aka Gang Gomez) of the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Barangay San Jose, Malaybalay, will also be on display at the PNB lobby.

Enriquez said the Congregacion wants to pay tribute to people who undertook priesthood as a vocation and also to point out that all Catholics, through baptism, took on some of the duties and responsibilities of priesthood by vowing to follow the example of Jesus, the first priest.

The annual event aims primarily to deepen people’s devotion to the Santo Niño. In keeping with this objective, the organization works with priests to educate devotees on how the Sto. Niño should be dressed.

The annual procession of Sto. Niño images will be held at 3 p.m., Jan. 31, from the Philtrade building corner Roxas Blvd. and Gil Puyat Ave. in Pasay City to the Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park in Manila. Some 300 grand carrozas are expected to join the procession.

Hermanos mayores of the 2010 fiesta are Rep. Cynthia Villar, lawyer Jose Ferdinand Roxas and Consul Mellie and Louie Ablaza. Chair is Deo Pamilar. Congregacion officers are Ben Farrales, founding chair; Ricky Miranda, chair; Mel Chionglo, president; Nolie Hans, vice president; Bob de Castro, secretary; Jing Chua, treasurer; and Chito Ilagan, Germs Malabanan, Dennis Maturan and Venson Nobrera, directors.