“Believe”, a documentary made from last year’s celebrations by Bernard Villamor and narrated by Mary Rose Maghuyop. The piece was researched and written by Rafaeliza Pelletero.

Watch on YouTube

[Salamat southernbelle!]

The Novena to Santo Nino begins Saturday at Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral in Charleston and continues for nine days as a special devotion to the infant Jesus.

Following the 5:30 p.m. Saturday mass, Monsignor Frederick P. Annie, Episcopal Vicar for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, will serve as principal celebrant.

“He will bless a new shrine dedicated to the divine infant Jesus, officially called Santo Nino,” said Monsignor P. Edward Sadie, rector of Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral.

The new shrine was designed and manufactured by Sal Rossi of Quality Wood in Eleanor. The shrine will hold the statue of the infant Jesus that has been at Sacred Heart for many years.

Read more  of  Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral celebrating new shrine

Archie and Nora Beltran hosted the last day of novena for the Santo Niño on Saturday, January 12 at their home in Glenview, Illinois. Visitors coming in from the freezing midwest breeze quickly warmed up to the familiar company - Cebuanos and fellow devotees gathered together in adoration of their beloved patron.

Organized by health care veteran Lou Pamplona and friends about twenty years ago, this celebration has outgrown 2 venues and expect more than 500 participants at this Sunday’s Sinulog to be held at Saint Catherine LaBoure church in Glenview.

The Fiesta of the Santo Nino de Cebu in Chicagoland is a labor of love for this group that has spanned several generations. Little kids grew up learning the traditional wave-like dance movement and most of the families have made the pilgrimage themselves. (ABF/Chicago)

Related links:
Official Sinulog Site

Video documentaries:
“Believe” by Bernard Villamor
“Rhythm” in Unison” by Jerrold TarogPhotos:
Santo Nino Photo Gallery @ FLICKR

Details below.

{Read more…}

Around the world, Pinoys are celebrating the Feast of Santo Nino. Here’s one from Germany:

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of Santo Nino at Saint Martin Church in Offenburg. Its already the fifth year that we’re celebrating the Sinulog Fest and I’m proud to say that I never missed a single year. Fr. Louie Collantes officiated the mass, followed by a short procession of our Virgin Mary and images of Santo Nino.

Read more of Feast of Santo Nino
Photo from Cool Mom An2nette

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Devotees of the Santo Niño de Cebu headed by Lou Pamplona held the 20th Anniversary of their Chicagoland celebrations on Saturday, January 19 at the Saint Catherine LaBoure church in Glenview, Illinois.

The traditional novena kicked off the festivities followed by a concelebrated mass led by Fr. Leoncio Santiago. The capacity crowd (despite the subzero temps outside) then moved on to the adjacent Marian Hall where sumptuous early dinner was served by a tireless squad of volunteers. We managed to shoot the first few of the dances but regretfully had to leave for another coverage. As a first time attendee, we would say this has to be one of the most beautiful and well-organized Pinoy events in the area. Kudos to the team. Don’t miss it next time. Pit Señor![ABF]

View the slide show

Related site: Zanorteans Attend Sinulog sa Chicago

The recent Sinulog celebration in Cebu, Philippines was the biggest in History so far.

See more at PinoyCentric.com

Photo: Noah C. Omamalin

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Here’s an interesting news from U.K. Reuters.

MANILA (Reuters Life!) - With red lanterns and Lunar New Year banners swinging in the breeze, Manila’s bustling Chinatown looks like any other welcoming the Year of the Rat — except for the Virgin Mary and child Jesus icons (Santo Nino - ed).

Jewellery store owner Tammy Chua is one of hundreds who start the day with a prayer at a Roman Catholic church in Chinatown, before hurrying back to open her small shop.

“I don’t see any conflict in me being a Catholic and doing what we Chinese practice during Lunar New Year,” Chua said.

The 75-year-old has set up a stall of Lunar New Year sticky rice cakes, and expects brisk business over the next few days, as one million ethnic Chinese in the Philippine capital celebrate the Lunar New Year with fireworks, dragon dances and feasting.

Read the rest of the article from UK Reuters

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For the first time, the Novena dedicated to the Holy Child of Atocha is available in English. Three local scholars and authors from New Mexico have worked together to produce the Novena in both English and Spanish. The bilingual booklet for the Novena to the Santo Niño de Atocha has been released by LPD Press. Father Thomas J. Steele, S.J., Dr. Charles M. Carrillo, and Felipe R. Mirabal have compiled, edited and translated theNovena. The booklet is $3@ and has the full Novena in Spanish and English. The compilation and translation work took five years to complete. The three authors did this project because of their love for the Santo Niño de Atocha Carrillo¹s daughter is named for the Santo Niño. Carrillo and Steele have written many books on the religious traditions of New Mexico and all three have written many articles and have taught various religious subjects including at UNM. One area retailer said they had a Spanish version of the Novena but they have 15 people a day asking for an English version.

Sales of the booklet are being handled by LPD Press, 505/344-9382.

via Paul Rhetts, LPD Press

Visit the LPD Press website

More than 100 leaders of the Filipino community in Oregon and supporters gathered last month at the conference center of the Grotto in Northeast Portland for the official launching of Dambana: The Filipino Faith Shrine.

The shrine is a collaboration between the Filipino community of Oregon and the Grotto, the National Sanctuary of our Sorrowful Mother, in Portland.

It will be built on the upper gardens and feature the image of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), as well as the Blessed Mother and San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, as all three are symbols of the community’s cultural affinity with these intercessors. Dambana — the Tagalog word for shrine or altar — is envisioned as a sanctuary that blends Filipino faith and culture. It is a symbol of the community’s unity and dedication, and will serve as a legacy to future generations.

“This is our Filipino dream in Oregon – to build the Dambana, as a testament to our strong and involved community, grounded in its faith and values, and dedicated to serving each other,” says Pia de Leon, one of the organizers of the project.

Read more of Filipino community to build shrine at Grotto

View the special FLCKR photoset.