Señor Sto. Niño devotees in Iloilo City lighted 6,000 candles to form the image of the Holy Child Jesus on Saturday evening, Jan. 18.
Dubbed “Kasanag Niño”, the candle-lighting was held in front of the Jose de Placer parish in the City Proper. It was led by Rev. Fr. Raymundo Edsel Alcayaga.
The religious activity is part of the celebration of this year’s Dinagyang Festival.
Alcayaga said the lighting of the larger-than-life image of Señor Sto. Niño was the first of its kind in the country. “Wala pa ko sang iban nabal-an nga naghimo pareho sini.”
Other religious activities include, among others, the re-enactment of the Santo Niño de Cebu’s arrival to the parish and the original merry-making around Plaza Libertad on Jan. 23; fluvial procession and solemn foot procession on Jan. 24; and grand religious sadsad in front of San Jose de Placer Church on Jan. 25.
Alcayaga encouraged the public to take part in the religious activities.
“As we celebrate the festival, let us also give attention, give time to the religious activities that the San Jose Parish has lined up in connection with the feast of Sto. Niño,” he said.
The festival’s theme this year is “Perfect Vision: Celebrating the Ilonggo Spirit in Honor of Señor Santo Niño.”
Dinagyang is one of the grandest festivals in the country. It draws more than a million tourists every year.
The festival started in 1968 when the image of Señor Sto. Niño was brought from Cebu to the San Jose de Placer Church. “It is because of this devotion that the Dinagyang was born and has become a joyous religious and socio-cultural celebration held every 4th Sunday of January.”IMT
