For Fiesta Señor 2018: Changes in fluvial, traslacion

CEBU, Philippines — The Augustinian community of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño will implement some modifications in some religious activities for the Fiesta Señor 2018, especially on the “traslacion” and the fluvial procession.

“To cater the pastoral need of reaching out to more devotees of the Sto. Niño, the Augustinian friars decided to extend the Traslacion to Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan Island,” said Fr. Aladdin Luzon, director on safety, security, peace and order of the upcoming feast.

On the eve of the Fiesta Señor 2018, the images of Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe will visit Virgen De Regla National Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City next to National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City.

Luzon said the sendoff Mass at St. Joseph Shrine is set earlier at 2 a.m. to transport the pilgrim images through a motorcade to Virgen de Regla Shrine where the faithful can venerate these images.

The customary “traslacion” or transfer of the images of Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe from Cebu to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue reenacts the meeting of the Child Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Joseph.

The Augustinian friars agreed to extend the visit of the images to other cities like Lapu-Lapu to respond to the clamor of parishes who have been lobbying for it for years now.

Luzon said the Augustinian community of the basilica, being the custodians of the image of Sto. Niño, took the challenge of “expanding” the devotion of the miraculous image.

Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, Fiesta Señor 2018 secretary, said that during the previous coordinative meetings with the other stakeholders, some sectors were hesitant since these modifications may distort the customary religious practice.

These changes also met some “resistance” from other private entities since in the fluvial procession, when the images will be brought back to the Basilica in Cebu City, the galleon will depart from MuelleOsmeña port in Lapu-Lapu City instead fromOuaño Wharf in Mandaue City.

On the day of the feast on January 21 at 6:30 a.m., the pilgrim images will head to Muelle Osmeña where the fluvial procession in Mactan Channel will start. Father Reyes said the Ouano family attempted thrice to negotiate the decision but the Augustinian friars, who were also anticipating of the drawbacks, were firm.

Lawyer Paulino Yabao, Fiesta Señor 2018 legal adviser, said the galleon owned by the Ouano family and used for decades already will not be used this year. He admitted the religious met opposition from the Ouano family, who desired to continue with the years-long tradition.

For this reason, the Basilica community has opened to shipping firms or any owner of sea vessels the opportunity to use their galleon to carry the pilgrim images.

For Fiesta Señor 2018, BRP Bagobo AT-293 of the Philippine Navy will be used as the galleon. It can carry around 150 passengers.

The Augustinian priests also wanted the people to understand that there were several substantial reasons considered in coming up with the changes.

Reyes said the religious only wanted to give people the chance to express their devotion and faith to the sacred images.

“We can’t easily please everybody. But we are sticking to our decision not for our own sake but for the sake of the faithful responding to their need,” he said. (FREEMAN)