Manila Guide Online

taken during the procession

Two days ago I witnessed again the devoted Catholics and devotees of Sto. Nino. Last week was a compilation of rainy days and excitement to the upcoming Sinulog. Before starting the Mardi Gra a solemn procession is done during the eve of Sinulog. The Sinulog Mardi Gra happens on the 3rd Sunday of January every year. Despite the gloomy weather and rainy procession, an estimated of 2.5 million attended the procession. The event was heart warming and it gave everybody hopes on the infant for more blessings.

Thousands of devotees carrying Sto. Niño images in various shapes and sizes attended the solemn procession that preceded the grand parade during Cebu’s celebration of the Sinulog Festival last January 16 and 17.

The two events are among the three highlights of the month-long Sinulog celebration in Cebu City in January. One other is the fluvial procession, also held on Saturday but at dawn.

Thousands joined the Sinulog solemn procession on January 17at the sidelines, watching devotees recite prayers as they paraded in downtown Cebu City.

Along the stretch of the procession route were altars displaying replicas of the Sto. Niño.

On the fiesta of Sinulog, colorful banners, floats and costumes were presented during the Mardi Gra to show our gratitude to the infant saint. Yesterday you will see the beauty of the dances and offerings made by the Cebuano’s to our beloved Sto. Nino.

If you visit Cebu never forget to visit one of its famous landmark. It is situate at the center of Cebu city. It is circular in formation and has a white fountain at the center. It is open to the public for sightseeing, bazaar, stage presentation and more. The Fuente Circle is a  rotunda that could very well be the soul center of the people of Cebu.Fuente Osmeña, or literally “Osmeña Fountain,” was named after Pres. Sergio Osmeña. The patriarch of one of Cebu’s most prominent political families served as the fourth president of the Philippines. Considering his contributions to society, he is considered a favorite son of the province.

Weeks before the Sinulog Mardigra, there is a nigh to night presentation held to welcome the Sinulog festival. Cultural presentations, social events and even political gatherings are also held in the park. Fuente Circle also has its benefits as to the tourist. Many tourist visit this place to see the 350 degree view of the entire Fuente Osmena location.

When I was a little girl, i used to brag my parents to visit the circle to visit the fountain. It is very peaceful to look at night and very romantic to stay with your loved ones. The Fuente Osmeña Circle is hard to miss considering its strategic location and accessibility. Visit this beatiful spot as you unravel the most beautiful spots in Cebu. Be one with the Cebuano’s by joining the everyday events before the Sinulog.

There are several reason why you should visit Cebu. This includes the powdery white beaches, the people, its culture, the churches and most especially the Sinulog Festival. Every year the Cebuanos celebrates Sinulog to thank Sto. Nino for all his blessings. This is done through dancing on the streets and prayers.

The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. The festival honors the child Jesus, known as the Santo Niño (Holy Child), patron of the city of Cebu. It is a dance ritual that commemorates the Cebuano peoples Islamic and pagan origin, and their acceptance of Christianity.

The festival features a street parade with participants in bright colored costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumphets and native gongs. Smaller versions of the festival are held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a “Sinulog sa Kabataan” performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the parade. Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is usually held in the Cebu City Sports Complex.

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The major festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu (since in the Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is fundamentally a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people’s pagan past and their recognition of Christianity.

The festival features some the country’s most colorful displays of ceremony and pageantry: participants clothe in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums and native gongs. The streets are generally lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing. Smaller versions of the festival are also held in different parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a Sinulog sa Kabataan, which is performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the Grand Parade.

Recently, the cultural event has been commercialized as a tourist attraction and instead of traditional street-dancing from locals; Sinulog also came to mean a contest highlighting groups from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is traditionally held in the Cebu City Sports Complex, where most of Cebu’s major provincial events are held.

Visit Cebu on January and witness the color wonders at the streets with their dances paying tribute to their saint.