Faithful urged to follow Jesus: Wet weather, flaming faith

CEBU, Philippines — Sporadic rains threatened yesterday’s solemn procession of the miraculous image of Santo Niño de Cebu but devotees numbering at least half a million were unfazed.

Despite having a leg injury, 66-year-old Evangelina Pepino of Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City braved the gloomy weather and long walk as her way of thanking God for the blessings she has received.

Her prayers were not for herself alone.

“Mag-uwan o mainit, moapil gyud ko sa prusisyon. Akong giampo nga giyahan Niya (Santo Niño) and akong mga apo sa iland pag-eskwela aron makakab-ot sila og maayong kinabuhi ugma damlag,” she told The FREEMAN.

After her three grandchildren were abandoned by their mother, Pepino has since taken the role.

Rosemarie Rizol, 55, from Barangay T. Padilla, Cebu City, was with her two Santo Niño images, both clad in policeman uniforms.

The first one wore the so-called type A cop uniform or striped blue polo with a belt and a toy firearm and handcuff tucked in its waist. The second one wore blue shirt printed with the words “Nanay ko police.”

Rizol’s husband was a policeman but he died eight years ago. Dressing the Niños up was her way of remembering him and praying for his soul.

For Jayrald Jean Bescoña, 18, of Barangay Pardo, Cebu City, the walk was his way of asking the Santo Niño guidance in his chosen field of study. He is now on his third year as aircraft maintenance technology student.

The right way

Moved by the deep faith of the Catholic flock, Italian Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, the newly-installed apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, could not help but feel “joy and gratitude” to have witnessed a great spectacle of devotion.

“I was thinking since this early morning you were going along the [Mactan Channel] following the Baby Jesus, the Santo Niño, and in the afternoon, some hours after, going around this beautiful city following the Santo Niño. But what does that mean? It means that when we do not know where to go in life, what to do, what to choose, the right way is to follow Jesus. He is the way,” he addressed devotees during the Pontifical Mass last night.

Yesterday dawn, the Santo Niño image was transferred from Mandaue City to Lapu-Lapu City, then ferried back to the basilica where it is enshrined.

Even with the rain and the changing weather, the long penitential walk in the afternoon attracted a crowd of thousands, many of whom had eyes go misty at the sight of the Santo Niño’s image.

“This is a wonderful manifestation of Christian people. Let this be our expression that we want to follow you Jesus. [We] want to follow you not alone but as people. So that when I am weak, I can be helped by somebody who is close to me… so we help each other to be better Christians, to be better disciples,” Caccia said.

“And as gift of gratitude, what I can say, I will give you together with all the bishops here the blessing of Pope Francis, who loves the Filipino people. You will receive the blessing of the Holy Father to continue to be a sign of hope, a sign of joy and sign of peace for your society and your country, and also for this wonderful and great Asian continent and to the world where all the Filipinos are present,” he continued.

The last time an apostolic nuncio visited Cebu was way back 1965, during the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the country, said Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, OSA, who is the Fiesta Señor 2018 secretary.

Palo Archbishop John Du, in his 20-minute homily, said the sending of a papal nuncio to Cebu after several decades signifies that the Cebuanos are special. He was joined by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma in celebrating the Mass.

“We feel we are one with the universal Church… We are really loved by the Santo Niño,” Du said.

Reflecting on the spate of disasters that floods due to weather disturbances, volcanic eruption of Mt. Mayon, among others, Du said these are more reasons for Catholics to cling on.

“We should not be afraid and be anxious, we should rather trust Him. The image being with us symbolizes His presence with us amid the challenges and threats in life… He is listening to our prayers and appeals, and being with us gives us an assurance that we should not worry,” he said.

Security

The number of people who turned out for the procession was not less than 500,000, according to Cebu City Police Office operations-in-charge Senior Superintendent Julian Entoma.

Those who joined the Mass at the basilica after numbered up to 80,000, he added.

Entoma said that except for some cases of children lost, who were eventually claimed or found by their parents or guardians, there were no significant security-related incidents yesterday.

A total of 3,800 security personnel composed of the police, army, and force multipliers were deployed to maintain peace and order during the procession.

As for today’s Grand Parade, Entoma reminded revelers to be patient, especially in crowded places.

“Dili magtukmuray. Dili hilabtan ang contingent,” he said.

As part of today’s security details, some 120 personnel from the Special Weapons and Tactics team divided into four groups will be manning several key points of the city.

Three Kaohsiung buses will be also on standby and serve as temporary detention facilities for those who will be rounded up or apprehended for violations like drunkenness, among others.

Separately, the Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has also boosted its security preparations with an augmentation force arriving here Thursday on board a Philippine Air Force C-130 aircraft.

“The additional force is for our contingency operations. There’s no imminent threat to the security of the people joining the Sinulog festivities but it would be better to have enough troops for big events such as Sinulog,” said Lieutenant General Paul Talay Atal, commander of CentCom. — May B. Miasco,Mae Clydyl L. Avila with Mylen P. Manto and Iris Mariani B. Algabre (FREEMAN)