THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COUNCIL OF GREATER CHICAGO

invites you to

“PARANGAL KAY STO. NIÑO”

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Dr. Jose Rizal Heritage Center

1332 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL. 60613 {Read more…}

One Dance, One Beat, One Vision.
Sinulog is a dance ritual in honor of the miraculous image of the Santo Niño. The dance moves two steps forward and one step backward to the sound of the drums. This movement resembles the current (Sulog) of what was known as Cebu’s Pahina River. Thus, in Cebuano, they say it’s Sinulog.

It was a rainy day but nothing can stop the contingents from performing. The show must go on! Cebu City Sports Complex, Abellana National High School, Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines

A sea of devotees on the 5th day Novena at the Basilica Minore de Santo Nino in Cebu.

Photography by Marvin Maning
View his photos on FLICKR

Let me introduce myself and our group here in Leicester, UK. We will be celebrating our 6th Fiesta Señor on the 20th of January 2007 (eve of the feast in Cebu). I guess there are more groups here in the UK. It would be good if all these groups can be linked up…and so we are trying, and we can only try and pray, that people will support our initiative starting with an ammateur website: www.freewebs.com/stoninoleics and an egroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stoninoleics/.

Peter Zabala
Communications
Santo Niño Leicester

All are invited to attend the opening ceremonies and Holy Mass tomorrow Jan.18 5pm at the Philippine National Bank (PNB), D. Macapagal Ave. behind the World Trade Center near Roxas Blvd.

Novena Masses will be held until Jan. 26 at 7pm with various well-known priest-celebrants. This year’s theme is about Saints with Sto. devotion. You may also exhibit your images and join the Grand Procession to be held on Jan.28, Feast of the Santisimo Nombre del Nino Jesus, Patron of the Congregacion del Stmo. Nombre del Nino Jesus, starting around 2pm until 8pm, from the Philtrade grounds in Roxas Blvd. to the Luneta Grandstand. As of last night 140 images have registered for the exhibit so far, and around 100 carrozas for the procession. Entrance to the exhibit is free from 9am-8pm! It again will be a showcase of religiosity and culture. Have a grand time taking photos of more than 100 Sto. Nino images and the beautiful altar set-up for the event.

by dennis_raymondm

Originally posted at Santo Nino Online/FLICKR

Just to let you know that the Sto Niño Association in London is holding its annual Sto Niño Novena in Our Lady Of Victories Church, Kensington High Street on the 9 days preceding 21st January.

The Mass honouring the Sto Niño will take place at 12.45pm on 21st January, also at Our Lady of Victories. Anyone who wishes may bring their Sto Niños for a special blessing at this Mass!

By Brown Scapular
Originally posted at Santo Nino Online/FLICKR

Photo: Our Lady of Victories Church
Visit their website

“Rhythm in Unison” a stunning documentary by Jerrold Tarog. 1st Prize winner of the Sinulog 2007 Video Documentary Competition.

Watch

This year’s Santo Niño de Agosto Fiesta in Chicago will be held on Saturday, August 18 at St. Genevieve Church on 4835 West Altgeld. Fiesta events starts off with devotional prayers at 9:30 AM followed by the presentation of groups and a mass celebrated by Rev. leoncio Santiago. The celebrations continue with an outdoor procession at 11:30 with fellowship at 12:15. The fiesta culminates with a “friendly” altares activity and entertainment by the various groups.

Donations of any kind are highly appreciated. Proceeds will go to the “Tahanan ng banal na Sanggol” project. For details call Luz Ong (773)769-0061 or Sol Anderson (773)561-1547.

Devotees from all over Chicagoland celebrated with hundreds of kababayans at the 2007 Santo Niño de Agosto festivities held Saturday, August 18 at the St. Genevieve Church on Chicago’s Near West Side. Groups danced to their regional versions of the Sinulog beat in presentations following the mass. This annual event was initiated by Fr. Leoncio Santiago and now draws numerous participants each summer.

More photos to come.

SUMMER STO. NINO- January is when the homeland celebrates the Feast of the Sto. Niño, but the dead of winter in America is not for the traditional outdoor procession and street dancing in celebration of this most revered Pinoy fiesta. Hundreds of Fil-Americans gathered again over the weekend for the annual midsummer Sto. Niño de Agosto in Chicago’s West Side– among them Cressalynne and Crestelynne Ligo, Alysa Christine and Allen Christian Mapacpac. Photo by Armand B. Frasco © ABF

[As seen on Inquirer.net/Global Nation]

Religious processions, introduced over four hundred years ago by our Spanish conquistadors, were held to mark the important feast days of our Christian religious calendar. The Lenten season, Christmas and town fiestas were major causes for ceremonials, and a holy procession, with all its pomp and pa geantry, was essential to these celebrations.

The first documented procession was held to commemorate the recovery of the Santo Nino at Cebu, from a fire set by local villagers as they retreated from Miguel Lopez de Legazpi’s advancing forces. It was, in fact, a very simple affair: the santo was transported on foot from the San Agustin church to the site where it was found, followed by a throng of citizens assembled by the town councilor or regidor. This was followed by a host of festivities like bullfights, dance balls and fireworks display.

Accounts abound of early processions that were characterized by opulence that matched a people’s religious fervor. A Lumban, Laguna procession in the 1600, for instance, was described by Franciscan Felix de la Huerta as featuring decorations of pure gold and diamonds from affluent residents of nearby Nagcarlan, Majayjay and Liliw. Carrozas of rattan were encrusted with more gold and precious stones while lamps that lit the parade weighed 75 pounds. The Dominican celebration of La Naval, which commemorates the 17th century Spanish-Filipino victory against the Dutch, was held with Our Lady of the Rosary as the focal point of the procession. Borne on a flower-bedecked silver carroza, the image was processioned around Intramuros and back, with barefoot penitents in attendance. The 17th century Mexican-made image of Nuestro Padre Jesus de Nazareno, the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, has His own processions conducted every January 9, with Manila’s menfolk coming in droves to bear the santo on their shoulders. Semana Santa processions of old are often the most dramatic, with a long parade of life-size santos and complex tableaus, visualizing the events of the Passion.

Alex R. Castro

Learn more at his site, “Views from the Pampang“

Zuni girl with jar by Curtis, Edward S., circa 1903

Each morning Missy Yatsattie rises, she has a task to perform, a duty that was bestowed upon her through generations of her family on her mother’s side.Since the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, one family has been responsible for the care of an 18-inch wooden statue that was rescued before the missions were destroyed.Santo Nino, or Baby Saint, has been kept at the same home since 1690 when the Zuni people returned to Halona after escaping to Thunder Mountain following the revolt.

Now Yatsattie needs help to make repairs on the home of the Santo Nino, where she also lives to care for the statue. Last month Yatsattie walked 23 miles to raise funds to repair the adobe wall and the roof of the home. Earlier this month, she held a raffle. She also is planning another walk like one that raised nearly $400, most of which came from the Zuni people.

The Santo Nino is sacred to both the Catholics and the Zunis. For the Catholics, he is seen as a powerful figure because he represents Jesus in his most innocent stage – as a baby.

For the Zuni, the Santo Nino is actually a female – the daughter of the sun. Both attribute various miracles to the Santo Nino in past centuries.

Find out more at: News from Indian Country

The Santo Niño de Atocha medal and Virgen de Guadalupe prayer card are considered protectors.

“On a weekly basis, we probably get anywhere from 50 to 80 families who come in looking for herbs and amulets that will give protection to their loved ones,” said Alvarez, a cherubic 22-year-old who has worked in the store since she was in the seventh grade. “They want peace of mind.”

There are no statistics on how many military personnel employ the charms and folk magic of Mexico. But some simple math shows the potential base: There are 1,426,713 active-duty personnel in America’s military and another 1,259,000 in various Reserve units. The U.S. Department of Defense says Hispanics make up nearly 10 percent of the armed services.

Read more: The Denver Post

Diana Ramirez saw a shredded picture of the Virgin Mary pieced together with tape. A cracked, glued statue of Santo Nino de Atocha — a Roman Catholic depiction of the infant Jesus — stood atop a dresser.

She suspected the items came from a nearby dump, where many so-called “ragpickers” forage for recyclable items to sell, such as aluminum cans, copper wire and glass bottles.

It was December, and 2 inches of snow coated the ground outside this home in Juarez, Mexico. Inside, a middle-age mother and her two sons fought the chill biting them through broken windows.

Red more: Local group helps the poor in Juarez, Mexico

A proud mom shares her family’s tradition of celebrating Christmas.

“Merry Christmas!”We would all exclaim as the clock struck twelve midnight on Christmas Eve. Just then, our uncle would play “Merry Christmas Polka” on the LP player. We would all dance and sing around, “Come on and dance the Merry Christmas Polka…” for some good ten minutes until we’ve danced around with everyone. Laughter, singing, and so much love filled the air.

After the final replay of the song was done, all of us - my grandparents, together with my dad’s eight brothers and sisters, and their families - would gather by the altar and sing…

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you

On the altar was a well-dressed image of the Child Jesus (Santo Nino)…

Read more: Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Since 1986, a miraculous Santo Niño White has been doing a great many miracles, from healing various diseases (stroke, diabetes, high blood, congenital heart disease, STD, skin diseases, cancer of all kinds, crippled, disabled, brain defects and many different types of maladies we humans have not ever known or heard of before) to driving away evil spirits, healing our weary souls, telling prophecies and a lot more wonderful miracles we might think impossible but for hundreds and hundreds of living witnesses who have seen these things before their eyes continue their unyielding devotion to Santo Niño White.

More on Santo Niño White at youtube.

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In the Philippines, Christmas starts early. The continuous jingles, the flashing lights, the winter decor - yes, even in this tropical nation - all get going as soon as the leaves turn color in the United States.

In September, when many Americans cringe at the sight of Halloween candy hitting store shelves, on the other side of the world, Filipinos prepare to welcome the Christ child, or Santo Niño, into their homes. And they couldn’t be happier.

Read more For Bay Area Filipinos, Christmas is about welcoming
Photo SFGate.com / Paul Chin / Chronicle

The Dia de la Candelaria (Day of the Candles) is a big feast in Mexico. It differs from the Candle Mass in the United States because during this Mass not only the Candles get blessed but also the Baby Jesus from the crib. In Mexico this has been celebrated since the Colonial times. This celebration also changes according to every ethnic group and region who gives the Celebration the characteristics proper to their culture.

Basically, the Dia de la Candelaria (Day of the Candles) the Godparents (in some places it will be the same people who sang the Baby Jesus to sleep on the night of the 24th, in some other places it will be the ones who found the Baby Jesus in the Rosca de Reyes or Kings cake) must go to the house of the “owners” of the Baby Jesus, to dress him and to take him to Church to be presented, just like Mary and Joseph did with Jesus, forty days after he was born. The first year the Baby Jesus is dressed in white to represent El nino de las Palomas (The Child of the Doves) or El Nino de las Azucenas (The Child of the White Lillies), which signifies the purity of his being.

Read more Dia de la Candelaria, a Mexican Tradition

Photo courtesy of The story of a vocation

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The worshipping community of Mission Santo Nino de Atocha in Tecolote may be small, but their faith is strong. Nestled in the midst of mesquite trees and brush land about 10 miles north of Alice on Highway 281, a committed group gathered Nov. 18 for a community milestone, the ground breaking of their new church, Today is truly a wonderful day, said Johnny Vela, one of the original members of the faith community who began meeting in homes and even an abandoned dance hall in the 1980s.

The grass roots desire to meet in their own community was originally helped along by now-retired Deacon Candido DeAnda, who served out of Orange Grove. Eventually the pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Alice was assigned pastoral leadership and acquired an old house which was moved to Tecolote, refurbished and dedicated as the Santo Nino de Atocha Mission in 1992.

Read more Dreams of new church in Tecolote becoming a reality
Photo by South Texas Catholic Paper

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The Sinulog Foundation, Inc., in cooperation with the Cebu City Government and Cebu Filmmakers’ Society, Inc. brings you The Sinulog 2008 Short Film Festival! Join us as we move on to a higher level of excitement and opportunities!We’re getting bigger! Be with us in embracing a wider scope of a more challenging experience.

Aside from the Video Documentary Competition, we are now including entries for the Sinulog Short Film! Tell us your point of view, or better yet share your actual personal experience with the Señor Santo Niño’s miraculous power that has affected and changed your life! You, too, can be an instrument in changing other people’s lives!

Read more on The Sinulog 2008 Short Film Festival

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Here’s a blog of Miss C.N.W. on her daily take of life and Santo Niño de Atocha

One of the things I hope to do while I do my clean-a-thon is try to fix the statues and framed pictures we have around the house. As promised in my blog yesterday, I am going to post a picture of the little statue we have of the Santo Niño de Atocha. I had totally forgotten that we had it in storage because it had been pretty battered during the ‘94 Northridge Earthquake and it was out for a few years longer before we decided to store and later fix it up… which is what I intend to do someday soon. And, I actually have a little story, well, stories… about the statue of Santo Niño de Atocha and one of St. Jude Thaddeus, so gather ’round, kids.

Read more of Journey of a Catholic Nerd Writer