The estimated number of devotees trooping to Cebu for the Fiesta Señor celebration is yet to be known. But the authorities are hopeful that this year's numbers will be higher than last year's figures.
As of early this week, Cebu City streets were already awash with foreign and local visitors who arrived early for the celebration. And more are expected to arrive from today leading to the Big Day.
While we do not know the exact number of devotees, authorities can only base their estimate on the size of the crowd paying homage to the Holy Child. But as far as the early arrivals are concerned, they are optimistic that this year's crowd will surpass that of last year's festivity.
If this year's crowd would be more than last year's, it would probably be because the faithful want to seek spiritual renewal to strengthen their relationship with God following the catastrophic events last year.
Last year was truly the year that Filipinos would want to forget because of some calamitous happenings. First, the Moro uprising in Mindanao reared its ugly head when dozens of Nur Misuari's men invaded some barangays in Zamboanga City. Then the twin disasters stuck, leaving untold images of death and destruction as they tore through the Visayas.
Maybe the reason for a swelling number of devotees this year is the fact that we need an urgent divine intervention for our suffering. Undeniably, we need God more than ever to deliver us from this misery.
But while God is here to heal our wounds, we also need to repent. He needs us to renew our faith and be always closer to Him. Deliverance and salvation will only come if there is a genuine repentance.
This is probably the reason why millions of Santo Niño devotees are trooping to Cebu for the annual Fiesta Señor. But number is not really important. What is more significant in our relationship with God is the need to have a strong faith that will survive the toughest test.