HONG KONG (SE): According to the Filipino tradition, the Sto.Niño [Holy Child] of Cebu, an image of Infant Jesus, is a sign of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines. It’s believed that Ferdinand Magellan gave it to Hara Amihan, the wife of Rajah Humabon, the king of Cebu, in the 16th century. The Filipino communities in Hong Kong spread the tradition of celebrating the Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival on the third Sunday of January in different parishes.
Nine consecutive Sundays of Novena were held in honour of Sto. Niño at St. Joseph’s Church, Garden Road, where more than 10 Filipino groups are based.
After different Masses in the parish, presentations were made honouring the Sto.Niño to promote the tradition. While one of the dancers, dressed as Hara Amihan, held the image of Sto. Niño, more than 150 dancers lined up, forming different shapes.
Evelyn Dumaran, who designed the dancers’ formations, described butterflies and stars as symbols of spreading the gospel and bringing the flock into Jesus’ loving arms.
Father Joseph Tan Leitao blessed about 40 Sto. Niño images brought by parishioners and devoted Mass-goers before the Thanksgiving Mass. During the ceremony, he prayed that God would use the statues to bring faith alive and make their lives show God’s love. He hopes the images of Jesus Christ as a child can remind Filipinos to live joyfully and rely on God as his children.
After Mass, 150 dancers from different communities of the parish began the Sinulog dance to the grotto to offer the Novena Prayer. Featuring forward-backward steps, the dance depicts the current [sulog in Tagalog] Cebu’s Pahina River. Thus, the dance is called Sinulog in Cebuano.
Lanie Trumata of the Filipino Catholic Group, the event coordinator, said, “I’m devoted to the tradition. When I was dancing, I feel grateful for all the blessings I received, and I also thank God through prayers and petitions.”
She remembers how happy she was to spread the tradition in Hong Kong and see people dancing together after the prayers.
At the Holy Cross parish, Shau Kei Wan, the Filipino community also celebrated the feast day with a thanksgiving Mass and the Sinulog dance. Father Louland Timbal Escabusa, who celebrated the Mass, said we have a lot to learn from Sto. Niño.
“The Kingdom of God belongs to children who are humble, simple, and reliant. We wish to return to our childhood, where life and sources of joy were simple. But we cannot do so,” he said. “What we can do is to create an environment where our children can have the best of their childhood. That is also building the Kingdom of God,” said Father Escabusa.
The Sinulog had been a dance by the natives in honour of their wooden idols before Magellan came to Cebu on 7 April 1521, after which Christianity was introduced. The dance was once just a small ritual in Cebu on the feast day of Sto. Niño danced by children in moro-moro costumes. It was not until 1981, when the Cebu City government organised the first Sinulog parade, that it became a popular festival.
In Hong Kong, the chaplaincy for Filipinos and the League of Overseas Visayan Association held the first public Sinulog festival at Chater Garden on 1 February 2009 [Sunday Examiner, 8 February 2009].
