Niño's call

Each novena Mass fills the Basilica not only to the brim; this centuries-old church, home to the continent's oldest and most beloved Christian icon, overflows with people and energy and faith, invading the surrounding streets and plazas, every time the Holy Eucharist is celebrated throughout the nine days of the Fiesta Señor, the country's largest religious festival.

The haunting image of the belfry's collapse during the Visayas earthquake three months back — immortalized and spread by technology — comes to mind amidst this overwhelming sea of faithful, this stirring surge of faith. One feared that, like the weakening of this heritage site's coral stone blocks, bound together by egg white, the faith of the ever-faithful Cebuanos would also be weakened, seeing our once great Catholic edifices crushed and crumbled. 

But, as it appears, the bells on the tower could not have sounded off a louder call for the Cebuanos to respond to than when it came crashing down before our eyes. And respond the Cebuanos did. In great number and with sheer delight, we answered Niño's call, without doubt or hesitation. Because faith unadulterated is ultimately a defiance of physical proof, a rebellion versus empirical evidence.

The record number of people at the Basilica del Santo Niño this year is an irrefutable testament to our love and devotion to the image of the Holy Child Jesus. This is the same image brought to our shores when nary a soul understood the language of Christian missionaries, when none could read the holy words of scripture. And the great miracle of the Santo Niño is, despite the barrier of communication, the lack of education, as an outstanding visual aid, he made possible the conversion of King Humabon and Queen Juana into the Christian faith.

And because of the same visual aid, our beloved Niño, every Cebuano generation henceforth, until eventually, an entire people and nation have come to know Jesus Christ and embraced salvation through him.

Nearly five centuries after, we continue to honor and venerate this visual aid, responsible for the conversion of our early forebears, for because of this holy image, we have become Christians, and through the conversion of our forefathers we've come to inherit a faith that's helped lead us closer to the promise of eternal life, our inheritance from Our Father in heaven.

Niño's call was a test of faith. And just when the physical church, its structure, has weakened significantly, the spiritual church, the combined faith of a community of believers, has been strengthened even more. And what matters more than that?

And perhaps, seeing the multitudes of believers who testify to their unswerving devotion and love, it is safe to conclude that INSPITE of, no, BECAUSE of all that's happened, the centuries-old Cebuano devotion continues. Now, more than ever, with fervor and fire like no other. Viva Señor Santo Niño!

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The Basilica has been a comfort zone for me the past two decades. My first Niño miracle was when I was a student at the Colegio del Santo Niño, right there at the Basilica's complex. I prayed to him to help me study for a 100-item enumeration test that I had not studied for (you cannot wing enumeration exams, especially one that's entirely enumeration), and I only had my lunch break to cram for it. I spent the first 30 minutes praying for Niño's help and taking my lunch at Jollibee. The next 20 minutes to read our book and memorize whatever I can; surely not enough to absorb 100 items. But I scored 100/100.

This was not healing or anything major, but for a Grade 6 student, that was a miracle. Since then, the Basilica and the Santo Niño housed in it has become a source of solace and strength.

I always feel connected to the Basilica. I have a number of reasons why: countless personal miracles, the fact that I am a proud alumnus of CSN (the best math instruction, bar none), life-long friendships (some of my very best) forged in that Augustinian school, and because my paternal great-grandmother Remedios Duterte-Del Mar is buried at the crypt beside the main altar of the basilica.

And now, I learned that a relative on my father's side, Eliza Romualdez-Valtos, and her team of archaeologists, are tasked to lead the restoration activities at the basilica, to restore and rebuild the iconic belfry right in time for the visit of Pope Francis to Cebu for the International Eucharistic Congress in 2016.  This makes me ever so proud and happy.

Anyhow, have a happy and meaningful Sinulog celebration, everyone.

Viva Pit Señor! Viva Señor Santo Niño!