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Cecille Paschner with a statue of Santo Niño donated by Archbishop Jose S. Palma of Cebu, Philippines on Jan. 13, 2020. (Dennis Callahan/Catholic San Francisco)
Jan. 13, 2020
Nicholas Wolfram Smith
Filipino pop music filled Patron’s Hall at St. Mary’s Cathedral Jan. 11 as hundreds gathered over roast pig to celebrate Sinulog-Santo Niño, a festival honoring the Child Jesus.
Edgar Estonina, chairman of the archdiocese’s Filipino ministry consultative board, said “it’s a very festive event, it’s very fast paced, it’s very celebratory. It’s not solemn, it’s hey, I’m happy to be Christian, I’m happy to be Catholic, let’s celebrate that.”
The nearly 500-year-old celebration stems from a pivotal point in Filipino history, when Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan gave a statue of the Holy Child – Santo Niño – to Queen Juana and King Carlos of Cebu after their conversion to Christianity. The festival commemorates that event through novenas and a special dance, the Sinulog, to honor the infant Jesus.
The day’s program included Mass, a luncheon, and dancing, along with performances by St. Augustine parish’s children’s choir and the Filipino music ministry choral group. A few dozen statues, brought by worshippers to the Mass, stood on tables in the hall, dressed in red or green.
Celebrating Santo Niño is a natural follow up to Simbang Gabi, the novena held before Christmas, Estonina explained. “It’s a continuation of the birth of Christ and celebration of him growing into a child,” he said. The image of the Holy Child also represents the birth and growth of Christianity in the Philippines, he added.
Santo Niño has been celebrated at several parishes for years in the archdiocese, but this is the fourth year the cathedral has hosted a celebration. Estonina said the Filipino ministry board wanted a central event to bring together Filipino parishioners from all across the archdiocese.
“The Filipino ministry is trying to hold more events like this in order to create a more cohesive Filipino Catholic community within the archdiocese,” he said.
As a child growing up in Cebu, the heart of the Santo Niño devotion, Cecille Paschner loved attending the festival with her mother. After moving to the U.S., though, she said she gradually stopped practicing her faith and focused on her career and boyfriend.
After she received a diagnosis of Stage 3 breast cancer, Paschner decided to leave the U.S. “I went back to the Philippines because if I die, I want to die in my country,” she said.
The cancer metastasized, and while staying in the hospital, she promised Santo Niño she would spread his devotion if he sent a sign. A negative brain scan for cancer the next day gave her the courage to move forward in spreading the message about Santo Niño, she said.
Paschner, whose cancer is now in remission, credits devotion to the child Jesus for turning her life around. “My life was all about chasing money and now he provides everything,” she said. “I really don’t mind the pain I have. I live in the light now because of him.”
Members of the archdiocese’s Filipino community celebrated the Santo Niño festival Jan. 11 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The festival commemorates the arrival of Christianity to the Philippines nearly 500 years ago. Worshippers brought images of Santo Niño to the cathedral: Red is the traditional color, while business owners dress their statue in green for good luck. Worshippers dance the Sinulog, a traditional dance to honor Santo Niño. (Dennis Callahan/Catholic San Francisco)
