CEBU, Philippines - Even the heavy downpour did not deter devotees of the Sr. Sto. Niño as almost 50,000 faithful joined the first novena Mass preceded by the Walk with Jesus, the opening salvo of religious activities heading up to the Sinulog Festival.
About 45,000 joined the first novena Mass held at the Pilgrims’ Center of the Basilica del Sto. Niño with devotees spilling outside the complex, Waterfront police station head Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu said.
The dawn procession, called Walk with Jesus, which started 4:30 a.m., had around 30,000 to 35,000 devotees walking from Fuente Osmeña to the basilica.
Bringing their own image of the Holy Child, candles and umbrellas, devotees did not mind the intermittent drizzle as they walked and prayed the rosary which was led from the basilica and broadcast to the crowd by vehicles joining the procession.
Some devotee also brought along their children to pass on the tradition and devotion.
Seven-month-old Mike Aris Manilhig was dressed like Sto. Niño by his mother Lotie Manilhig who said she has been a devotee even before she started her own family.
“I have five children and all of them have joined the procession dressed like the Holy Child. It is part of our devotion to Sr. Sto. Niño,†she said.
Sinulog 2014 carries the theme “Sto. Niño: Hope of the People†which is the central message of the homily delivered by basilica rector and first Mass celebrant Fr. Jonas Mejares.
Mejares looked back at the series of calamities that struck the Philippines, particularly the Visayas region, from floods, the October earthquake, then the super typhoon in November which he described as tests and trials.
“Dili kita magpabilin sa kasubo pagkahugno sa atong kampanaryo, dili kita magpabiling magul-anon sa pagkatumpag sa atong balay, buildings o mga tulay, kay kining tanan mga pagsuway nga lumalabay. Dili kita angay nga magpadayon sa atong pagbangutan tungod sa pagkahanaw o pagkawala sa atong mga pinangga,†Mejares said.
He capped his homily by singing the inspiring “You’ll Never Walk Alone†to which the devotees sang along and applauded.
Also announced during the first novena Mass was the installation and formal announcement of the Hermano and Hermana Mayor, couple Jay and Elvina Roble.
Due to the number of people flocking the Basilica and as anticipated by authorities, some devotees fainted but were immediately attended to by emergency medical personnel on standby.
An elderly woman fainted and sustained a minor injury after her head hit a wall. The Basak Pardo Emergency Response reported that Exaltacion Gabuya, 76, from Banilad, Mandaue City, fainted while attending the 10 a.m. novena Mass.
She suffered a laceration in her right eyebrow and was rushed to the Perpetual Succour Hospital, although she was noted to have stable vital signs after receiving first aid from responding medics.
Ten more cases of fainting were recorded by BPER during the Mass that preceded the 10 a.m. Mass.
Among thousands of devotees who attended the Walk with Jesus and the first novena Mass was Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who said he noticed that the number of devotees who started the procession from Fuente Osmeña decreased as compared to the previous years.
Rama described joining the opening religious Sinulog activity as a “wonderful experience.†(FREEMAN)