Cebu marks 500th year of Christianity with Santo Niño de Cebu solar lights installation
MANILA, Philippines — Non-government organization Liter of Light partnered with mall giant SM in recently unveiling a solar lights installation of Santo Niño de Cebu in SM Seaside City Cebu to celebrate 500 years of Christianity in the country.
In their Facebook page, SM Seaside City Cebu posted the video of the unveiling.
“Watch as we light up the Largest Solar Light Tribute to Santo Niño de Cebu to Commemorate 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines with more than 3,500 Liter of Lights,” the mall wrote.
In a statement sent to the media, SM Prime Holdings Inc. Vice President Marissa Fernan said the mall is honored to be a partner with Liter of Light organization in its effort to build the largest solar tribute to the Santo Niño de Cebu to commemorate the 500 years of Christianity.
“The theme of the 500 YOC is 'Gifted to Give' and it is...truly appropriate that the Liter of Light has gifted and given more than 350,000 lights in 15 countries all over the world. This monumental collaboration was truly given more significance as SM Seaside City Cebu and the Liter of Light organization join the Filipino nation in celebrating 500 years of Christianity,” Fernan said.
The solar lights installation was built by thousands of participants who joined Liter of Light’s “Light it Forward” challenge. The movement seeks to connect people and encourage them to build solar lights for communities without electricity.
For his part, Liter of Light founder and executive director Illac Diaz said their organization is thankful to the mall for giving them a venue for the installation.
“This would not be possible without SM Seaside City Cebu who has given us a wonderful area to be able to build this largest Santo Niño. The largest mall in Visayas and Mindanao is one with the largest image of the Santo Niño, which is the most sacred image in Cebu,” Diaz said.
