CEBU, Philippines - Revelers may be distracted by the colorful costumes, spectacular performances and street parties everywhere, but at the end of the day, the Sinulog Festival shall point to the reason of it all, the Holy Child Señor Sto. Niño.
An oversized image of the Holy Child is the star of this year’s Grand Finale that will conclude the Sinulog Grand Parade.
Standing 2.8 meters in height, the image is considered the most beautiful the Sinulog Foundation Inc. ever had, said Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros.
What makes it interesting and surprising is to know that the hands that sculpted the “almost perfect†features of the face of the child Jesus come from a 27-year old deaf-mute from a remote barangay in Bogo City.
Norman Prias of barangay Udlot, about 10 kilometers from Bogo City proper, worked alone on the oversized replica of the Sto. Niño for almost a month.
His faith helped him carve the replica to its perfection.
Prias made it from a Styrofoam and painted it himself.
The intricate design of the clothing was also his own work.
Prias was discovered by Engr. Jules Villordon, the overall designer of the Sinulog stage.
He said he knew Prias through his paintings at the church in Bogo.
Prias learned art from merely observing his older brother and father.
“His brother is also an artist. Sa una, mutan-aw ra sya, karon siya na ang pinakamaayo nila,†Villordon said. (Before, he just looked at how his immediate family did it. Now he’s the best in his family.)
His father is a caretaker of the church in Bogo, thus Prias lived all his life surrounded by images of Saints and Jesus. His mother is a sewer.
When he was able to master carving, he started earning from repairing damaged images.
He also decorates in their church during special celebrations.
Art must be running in his blood because he never really had any formal education or training on painting and carving. He was able to finish high school where he learned to read and write.
He doesn’t need sign language because he does lip reading. He communicates through writing or the alphabet signs.
He has three siblings and one is also impaired. He said his disability never stopped him from doing something he loves and is proud of.
The replica of the Sto. Niño he made is the star of the Grand Finale this evening.
The image will come out from a big Diamond which represents the 75th Charter year anniversary of Cebu City. — (FREEMAN)