𝗞𝘂𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝘆𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗔𝘁𝗯𝗽. 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝘆. 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗼

Festivals are prime manifestations of the Filipino’s fervent devotion and faith characterized by history, artistry, creativity, and passion.

“Viva Pit Senyor” and “Viva Senyor Hesus Nazareno” reverberate during the month of January, which is the best month for festival hopping in honor of Jesus Christ, either as the young Santo Niño or as an adult Black Nazarene.

After the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila every January 9, the main religious festivals in the succeeding weeks in honor of the child Jesus are the Ati-Atihan of Kalibo in Aklan, Sinulog of Cebu, Lakbayaw of Tondo (second weekend), Dinagyang of Iloilo (third weekend) and Dinagsa of Cadiz City (last weekend).

Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula reminded the faithful to be “childlike” in their faith as Sto. Niño dares everyone to love and believe in the goodness, like a child despite the advancement of age.

“The child Jesus challenges us to grow out of our old and sinful ways and develop into more loving persons. He also invites us to see our neighbor with his eyes, that always believes and hopes in the goodness of the other,” he said.

The three oldest Sto. Niño images in the Philippines are located in Cebu, Tondo and Iloilo that represent a rich tapestry of faith, culture, and the enduring legacy of Sto. Niño in Philippine history.

The Sto. Niño de Cebu, dating back to 1521, is considered the oldest and most revered, originally a gift from the Conquistador Ferdinand Magellan to Rajah Humabon (baptized as Carlos) and his wife and chief consort, Hara Humamay (baptized as Juana) on account of their Christian baptism in 1521. It is now in Basílica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebú.

The Sto. Niño de Tondo was brought to Manila from Acapulco in 1572 during the expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi. It is enshrined in the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Niño de Tondo.

Lastly, the Sto. Niño de Arevalo was brought by Spanish Governor General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa in 1581 to the town of La Villa Rica de Arévalo, now known as district of Arevalo in Iloilo City.

“Viva pit senyor” is a phrase used to express gratitude to the Sto. Niño that originated from the Sinulog Festival.

It is an abbreviation of the Cebuano phrase “sangpit sa Señor”, which means “a plea to the Señor Santo Niño”. “Pit” is short for “sangpit”, which means to call out to someone or something with a specific intention. “Señor” is the Spanish word for “Lord”.

In Cebu, the word Sinulog came from the Cebuano adverb “sulog” roughly meaning “like water current movement” describing the forward-backward dance movements. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums.
In Iloilo, the word Dinagyang came from a Hiligaynon word “dágyang” meaning “merrymaking.” It was traced to the pact between the Datus and the locals after the arrival of Malay settlers and the legendary barter of Panay Island from the natives called Ati.

The main part of the festival is the Ati tribe competition which consists of a number of “warrior” dancers (who hold a shield in one hand and a spear in another) in a tribe (locally called “tribu”) dancing in a choreographed formation and patterns as well as chanting to the sound of loud drum beats and improvised percussion instruments innovated by the respective tribes.

In Aklan, Ati-atihan means “to imitate like the Atis,” that is, pretending to be like the aboriginal natives that once inhabited Aklan. The street parade is known as Sadsad, a form of dancing where the foot is momentarily dragged along the ground in tune to the beat played by the marching bands.

In Cadiz City, Dinagsa means the sudden surge of blessings from the sea. Participants of the street merrymaking are smudged with latex paint on their face while dancing with rhythmic beating of drums in honor of Señor Santo Niño de Cadiz.

In Tondo, “Lakbayaw” is derived from two words: lakbay (travel) and sayaw (dance). The event is known for its lively procession, which is accompanied by colorful costumes, music, and dance, showcasing both devotion and cultural pride.
The Traslación is a reenactment of the transfer of the Black Nazarene’s replica image from Intramuros to Quiapo Church in 1787.

Large crowds donned in maroon and yellow shirts wave white towels in the air as they forcefully gathered towards the carriage as it crawled through the generally narrow roads of Quiapo.

It is part of their panata (vow) which is usually carried out as a plea to God or as thanksgiving for healing, blessing or granted wish.

Filipino Catholics are known for having sincere, enormous, and extreme expressions of piety considering that the country is the third-largest Catholic population in the world.
Filipinos are “visual” people when it comes to faith and history who like to tell stories by acting them out in the form of mass gatherings like processions.

The colorful culture of the Philippines is best seen through the vibrant festivals which are essentially fusions of Catholic and secular beliefs and practices.
Viva Pit Senyor! Viva Senyor Hesus Nazareno!

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