18/01/2025
SANTO NIÑO DE CEBU
The oldest Christian image in the country.
CEBU | The Largest Archdiocese in the Philippines and the Cradle of Christianity 🙏🇵🇭👑❤️
The first religious image in the Philippines brought by Ferdinand Magellan was given to Humamay, later was baptized as Reina Juana, along with images of the Ecce Homo and Virgen de los Remedios. Upon recieving the image Reina Juana reportedly wept. After Magellans death in 1521, the image was initially attempted to be destroyed by the natives but eventually venerated as a deity.
In 1565 during Miguel Lopez de Legazpi expedition, soldier Juan Camus found the image of the Holy Child in a nipa hut. This site is now the Minor Basilica of Sto. Niño de Cebu. The statue believed to be made in Flanders, Belgium, became central to many miracles and widespread devotion.
The Holy Child of Cebu was canonically crowned on April 28, 1965 to mark the 400th Anniversary of its rediscovery and the Christianization of the Philippines as decreed by the Papal Bull "Cunabula Religionis."
The Senior Santo Niño de Cebu's devotion was instrumental in spreading Christianity accross the Philippines. The Santo Niño is a symbol of faith, hope, and devotion for many Filipinos, especially during the Sinulog Festival, a vibrant and colorful celebration held every January in honor of the Santo Niño. The statue has become a powerful symbol of Cebu and its role in the country’s Christian history.
SANTO NIÑO: Hope of the Pilgrim Church
VIVA PIT SEÑOR!
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