The Señor Santo Niño de Cebú is a
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
title of the
Child Jesus
The Christ Child—also known as Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, Child Jesus, Divine Child, Divine Infant and the Holy Child—refers to Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ during his early years. The term refers to a period of life of Jesus, Jesus' l ...
associated with a religious image of the Christ Child widely venerated as miraculous by
Filipino Catholics.
It is the oldest Christian artifact in the Philippines, originally a gift from the
Conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan ( – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer best known for having planned and led the 1519–22 Spanish expedition to the East Indies. During this expedition, he also discovered the Strait of Magellan, allowing his fl ...
to
Rajah Humabon
Rajah Humabon (also ''Hamabao'' or ''Hamabar'' in other editions of the " First Voyage Around the World") later baptized as Don Carlos Valderrama, was one of the recorded chiefs in historic polity of Cebu who encountered Ferdinand Magellan i ...
(baptized as Carlos) and his wife and chief consort, Hara Humamay (baptized as Juana) on account of their Christian baptism in 1521. The image is the only
canonically crowned image of Jesus Christ in the Philippines.
The dark wood statue measures approximately tall, and carved in the
Flemish style. It depicts the Child Jesus, with a serene countenance, in the attitude and dress of a Spanish monarch.
The statue bears
imperial regalia
The Imperial Regalia, also called Imperial Insignia (in German ''Reichskleinodien'', ''Reichsinsignien'' or ''Reichsschatz''), are regalia of the Holy Roman Emperor. The most important parts are the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, C ...
, including a golden crown, toison de oro,
globus cruciger
The for, la, globus cruciger, cross-bearing orb, also known as ''stavroforos sphaira'' () or "the orb and cross", is an Sphere, orb surmounted by a Christian cross, cross. It has been a Christian Church, Christian symbol of authority since the M ...
, and various sceptres, wears fine vestments, and possesses jewelry mostly offered by devotees over several centuries.
The image is replicated in various parts of the country with different titles and the Christ Child has become one of the most beloved and recognizable Filipino cultural icons. The annual dancing feast of
Sinulog is held on the third Sunday of January every year in His honor.
Today, the original image is permanently encased behind
bulletproof glass
Bulletproof glass, ballistic glass, transparent armor, or bullet-resistant glass is a strong and optically transparent material that is particularly resistant to penetration by projectiles, although, like any other material, it is not completel ...
inside its chapel within the
Basilica del Santo Niño
The , alternatively known as the Minor Basilica of the Holy Child or simply Santo Niño Basilica, is a minor basilica in Cebu City in the Philippines that was founded in 1565 by Fray Andrés de Urdaneta and Fray Diego de Herrera. It is the olde ...
.
History
The Santo Niño de Cebú was originally produced by Flemish artisans, according to a
hagiography
A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a preacher, priest, founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions. Early Christian ...
, based on a vision of
Teresa of Ávila
Teresa of Ávila (born Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada; 28March 15154or 15October 1582), also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, was a Carmelite nun and prominent Spanish mystic and religious reformer.
Active during the Counter-Re ...
, the 16th century
Discalced Carmelite mystic.
In early 1521, a
Spanish expedition ordered by King
Charles I and led by
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan ( – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer best known for having planned and led the 1519–22 Spanish expedition to the East Indies. During this expedition, he also discovered the Strait of Magellan, allowing his fl ...
was on a voyage from Spain to find a westward route to the Spice Islands. After crossing the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
and
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
s, on April 7, 1521, they landed in
Limasawa, Southern Leyte, and met a local ruler named ''
Raja
Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian subcontinent, Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
T ...
'' Kulambu, who introduced him to
Rajah Humabon
Rajah Humabon (also ''Hamabao'' or ''Hamabar'' in other editions of the " First Voyage Around the World") later baptized as Don Carlos Valderrama, was one of the recorded chiefs in historic polity of Cebu who encountered Ferdinand Magellan i ...
, ruler of Cebu Island, and his chief
consort __NOTOC__
Consort may refer to:
Music
* "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses''
* Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles
* Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–earl ...
, ''Hara'' Humamay. On April 14, Magellan presented them with three gifts: a bust of Christ as the ''
Ecce Homo'', an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Santo Niño as part of their baptism and strategic alliance. As Humabon adopted the Catholic faith, he took the
Christian name
A Christian name, sometimes referred to as a baptismal name, is a religious personal name given on the occasion of a Christian baptism, though now most often given by parents at birth. In English-speaking cultures, a person's Christian name ...
of "Carlos" (after
Charles I), while Humamay was christened "Juana" (after
Joanna of Castile
Joanna of Castile (6 November 1479 – 12 April 1555), historically known as Joanna the Mad (), was the nominal queen of Castile from 1504 and queen of Aragon from 1516 to her death in 1555. She was the daughter of Queen Isabella I of Castile ...
, Charles' mother).
According to
Antonio Pigafetta
Antonio Pigafetta (; – c. 1531) was a Venetian scholar and explorer. In 1519, he joined the Spanish expedition to the Spice Islands led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the world's first Magellan's circumnavigation, circumnavigation, ...
– Magellan's memoir writer, along with the ruler, about 500 males along with the Queen and 40 women were also converted by Father Pedro Valderrama. At the ceremony, ''Raja'' Kulambu of Limasawa also converted and was given the name ''Don'' "Juan", while his
Muslim
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
captain was named ''Don'' "Cristobal".
A few days after the mass baptism, Magellan undertook a war expedition on the behalf of the newly named King Carlos, attacking Mactan Island and burning down hamlets which resisted.
[ The residents led by Lapu Lapu defended Magellan's attack with force, and Magellan died on April 27, in the ]Battle of Mactan
The Battle of Mactan (; ) was fought on a beach in Mactan Island (now part of Cebu, Philippines) between Spanish forces led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan along with local allies, and Lapulapu, the chieftain of the island, on th ...
, about three weeks after he had arrived in Philippines. After Magellan's death, his Spanish colleagues left.
The next Spanish expedition arrived on April 27, 1565, led by Miguel López de Legazpi
Miguel López de Legazpi (12 June 1502 – 20 August 1572), also known as ''Adelantado, El Adelantado'' and ''El Viejo'' (The Elder), was a Spanish conquistador who financed and led an expedition to conquer the Philippines, Philippine islan ...
, again to gain a foothold for a colony to trade spices. He attempted a peaceful colonization, but these efforts were rejected. As a result, he opened fire on Cebu and burnt the coastal town down destroying 1,500 homes and possibly killing 500 people. In the ruins of this destruction, on April 28, the Spanish mariner Juan Camus found the image of the Santo Niño in a pine box. According to the local legend, the survival of the statue was seen as a sign of miracle by the colonizers, and ever since it has been believed to have miraculous powers.
The image of the Santo Niño is the oldest surviving Catholic relic in the Philippines, along with Magellan's Cross. A church to house Santo Niño was built on the spot where the image was found by Juan Camus. The church was originally made of bamboo and nipa palm
''Nypa fruticans'', commonly known as the nipa palm (or simply nipa, from ) or mangrove palm, is a species of palm native to the coastlines and estuarine habitats of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the only palm considered adapted to the ...
, and is thought to be the oldest in the Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. The structure was destroyed several times and was finally rebuilt as a permanent structure using coral stone, which is the present basilica.
During World War II, Japanese forces bombed all of Cebu, including the basilica. A bomb fell in the church and greatly damaged the roof but, miraculously, did not explode. When Augustinian friars inspected the immediate aftermath, they found the Santo Niño had been hurled from the high altar, and was dangling by its cape caught on a nearby electric candle. After seeing the image displaced from the altar with the rest of the church in great disrepair, and for fear of more bombings in the vicinity, the friars decided to flee. They sought refuge with the Redemptorist
The Redemptorists, officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (), abbreviated CSsR, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men (priests and brothers). It was founded by Alphonsus Liguori at Scal ...
brothers at the Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Mother of Perpetual Succour (), colloquially known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help), is a Catholic Church, Catholic Titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a 15th-century Byzantine art, Byzantine ico ...
, (known locally as “Redemptorist Church”), and the friars hid the image in a metal vault beneath the icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic, and Lutheranism, Lutheran churches. The most common subjects include Jesus, Mary, mother of ...
of Our Lady for seven months. After the war, the friars removed the image from the vault for public veneration, and discovered its dark paint peeling off, revealing a lighter underpainting. The image was venerated with this fair complexion for some time, until it was repainted with a more brown complexion.
Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...
elevated the church to the rank of Minor Basilica on its 400th anniversary (Spanish: ''Basílica Minore del Santo Niño'').[ As part of the Culmination for the 400th Commemoration of the Christianization of the Philippines, the image of the Santo Niño was canonically crowned. A hundred years later, the basilica was declared a ]National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines
Declarations of National Cultural Treasures (NCTs; ''Mga Pambansang Yamang Pangkalinangan'' in Filipino language, Filipino) are regulated by the National Cultural Heritage Act. Designations are undertaken by the National Commission for Culture ...
as one of the highlights of the celebration of the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines and the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines
The 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines (2021 QCP) was a series of observances organized to mark the 500th anniversary of various events in the Philippines, notably the introduction of Christianity in the Philippines, the role ...
.
Name
The name, "Santo Niño" was taken from the Spanish words, "Santo" which means "Holy" in its masculine form and "Niño" which means "Child" in its masculine form. Thus, it is translated as "Holy Child".
In the Spanish Bible it can be read in Luke 1:35 that:
"Y el ángel dijo: —El Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre ti y el poder del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra. Así que al Santo Niño que va a nacer lo llamarán Hijo de Dios." -
In the King James Version, the title "Holy Child" was also applied even if Jesus was already ascended to heaven.
"By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus."(Acts 4:30, King James Version 1611)
Feast
The feast, locally known as ''Fiesta Señor'', starts on the Thursday after the Solemnity of the Epiphany. The annual celebration starts with a dawn procession of a replica, followed by a novena
A novena (from , "nine") is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. The nine days between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost, when the ...
Masses (i.e., held for nine days).
On the ninth day of the novena, another dawn procession is held wherein the image of ''Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebú'' is removed from its shrine and brought to the Basílica Menor. After the procession, it stays in the basilica until it travels with the ''Santo Niño de Cebu'' to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City
Mandaue (), officially the City of Mandaue (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 364,116 people.
...
. Both images are reunited with the icon of the church's namesake to form the Holy Family
The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The subject became popular in art from the 1490s on,Ainsworth, 122 but veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Saint François de La ...
. This solemn transfer, common to fiestas throughout the country, is called a '' Traslación''. This practise began on January 19, 1989.
On the morning of the ''vísperas'' ("eve", i.e., the day before) held the Saturday of January, the images of ''Santo Niño de Cebu'' and ''Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebú'' are returned to Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people, making ...
in a fluvial procession that ends with a reenactment of the first Mass, wedding and baptism
Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...
in the nation, held at the Pilgrim Center. Traditional dance performances of the city's communities follow, such as those of the Mabolo district with their older form of the Sinulog called the ''sinug'', displaying warlike steps and dressed as Spanish conquerors, Cebuanos of the 1560s, and Muslims. In a break with tradition, the statue of Saint Joseph
According to the canonical Gospels, Joseph (; ) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus.
Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church, Eastern O ...
joined the fluvial procession for the first time in 2024, so as to have the three images of Holy Family journey together back to Cebu City. It is then followed by a grand yet solemn foot procession in the afternoon, ending in a Pontifical Mass
A Pontifical High Mass, also called Solemn Pontifical Mass, is a Solemn or High Mass celebrated by a bishop using certain prescribed ceremonies. Although in modern English the word ''pontifical'' is almost exclusively associated with the pope, a ...
concelebrated by local bishops and priests. The grand Sinulog Festival is then held the next day, Sunday.
The ''Hubò'' rite
The festival officially ends on the Friday after the Holy Child's feast day, and it is marked with the traditional ''Hubò'' (Cebuano, "undress") rite. During a Mass, the basilica's priests and sacristans ceremoniously and reverently strip the ''Santo Niño'' of its festal vestments
Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially by Eastern Churches, Catholics (of all rites), Lutherans, and Anglicans. Many other groups also make use of liturgical garments; amo ...
and regalia
Regalia ( ) is the set of emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royal status, as well as rights, prerogatives and privileges enjoyed by a sovereign, regardless of title. The word originally referred to the elaborate formal dress and ...
.
There is a strict order of divesting the icon: first the crown is removed, followed by the orb and sceptre
A sceptre (or scepter in American English) is a Staff of office, staff or wand held in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of regalia, royal or imperial insignia, signifying Sovereignty, sovereign authority.
Antiquity
Ancient Egypt and M ...
; then the cape; then the sash and tunic, and finally, the inner garments. The priest recites a short petition before each removal, which is marked with a festive drum roll. The priest then chants “''Christe exaudi nos''” (Latin, “Christ, graciously hear us”), taken from the Litany of the Saints
The Litany of the Saints (Latin: ''Litaniae Sanctorum'') is a formal prayer of the Roman Catholic Church as well as the Old Catholic Church, Lutheran congregations of Evangelical Catholic churchmanship, Anglican congregations of Anglo-Catholic c ...
.
The priest then raises the icon for veneration, carefully dips it in a basin of scented water four times, and wipes it dry. He then dresses it in a plainer set of robes, and replaces the regalia in reverse order of divestiture. Upon replacing each item, he intones a prayer and leads the congregation in singing the refrain of the '' Laudes Regiæ'': “''Christus Vincit; Christus Regnat; Christus, Christus Imperat”'' (“Christ Conquers; Christ Reigns; Christ Commands”). Drum rolls then announce the moment as the insignia are placed.
The rite is explained as highlighting Christ's humility, and on the part of the individual believer, it should inspire internal, spiritual conversion. It was only in 1990 when the Augustinian priests caring for the icon first made the rite public. The ''Hubò'' Mass is now held on the Friday after the feast day at the Pilgrim Center outside the basilica, and the Masses following generally mark the end of the festivities.
Pontifical approbations
The original feast date for the image was April 28, but in the 18th century, the following changes were made:
* Pope Innocent XIII
Pope Innocent XIII (; ; 13 May 1655 – 7 March 1724), born as Michelangelo dei Conti, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 May 1721 to his death in March 1724. He remains the most recent pope to take the ...
moved the date to avoid conflict with Eastertide. In addition, he approved special liturgical texts for use during the local feast
A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes inc ...
of the Santo Niño in the Philippines, set on the third Sunday of January; this was further cemented by the founding of the Sinulog festival in 1980, more than two and a half centuries after Pope Innocent XIII's decision.
* Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...
issued a decree of canonical coronation
A canonical coronation () is a pious institutional act of the pope, duly expressed in a formal decree of a papal bull, in which the pope bestows the pontifical right to impose an ornamental crown, a diadem or an aureola, aureole to an image of ...
for the image via the papal bull on February 27, 1964, while the coronation was held on April 28, 1965. Through the papal bull , the same pontiff raised the sanctuary to a Minor Basilica
Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...
on May 2.
* Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
gave his papal endorsement for the image in his ''Mass for Families'' on February 19, 1981.
*Pope Francis
Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
, also endorsed the image and called the Santo Niño "protector" of the Philippines, in his homily at the Rizal Park on January 18, 2015.
Military honors
During the Spanish colonial era, the Santo Niño was given the high military rank of Captain-General, with the full title of "''Celentísimo Capitán General de las Esfuerzas Españolas en Filipinas''" (The Most Esteemed Captain-General of the Spanish Forces in the Philippines). For this reason, the statue is vested in a red cape and sash, symbolising the rank of a general, and military boots.
Presently, the rank is called ''Celentísimo Capitán General de las Esfuerzas en Filipinas'', with "''Españolas''" dropped, thusly translating to Most Esteemed Captain-General of the Forces in the Philippines. In 2011, the image was later honoured by the Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy (PN) () is the naval warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has an estimated strength of 24,500 active service personnel, including the 10,300-strong Philippine Marine Corps. It operates 91 combat ...
with the title “Lord Admiral of the Sea” (Spanish: ''Señor Almirante de la Mar'') during the 446th anniversary of the image's ''Kaplag'' ("finding” or “rediscovery”). This was done in acknowledgment of Christ's “lordship over seafarers, mariners and the marine ecology.” The image was brought aboard the naval ship '' BRP General Emilio Aguinaldo (PG-140)'' for a fluvial parade, marking the first time its own naval ensign bearing its coat-of-arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achiev ...
was flown by a Philippine naval vessel. The honour was a joint effort of the Naval Forces Central, Philippine Coast Guard-Cebu District, Cebu Ports Authority, and the Philippine National Police Maritime Group, among others.
Patronage
The Santo Niño was popularly considered the official patron
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
of Cebu, but the Church in the Philippines suppressed the notion and clarified that it is not the representation of a saint that intercedes to God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
but rather God in the person of Jesus. Instead, the Archbishop of Cebu, Cardinal Ricardo Vidal
Ricardo Tito Jamin Vidal (February 6, 1931 – October 18, 2017) was a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church. Made a cardinal in 1985, he was Archbishop of Cebu from 1982 to 2010.
Early life and education
Vidal was born on February 6, 19 ...
, controversially declared Our Lady of Guadalupe of Cebú as the principal patroness of Cebu in 2002. While the declaration was met with negative reactions from the Cebuano people
The Cebuano people () are the largest subgroup of the larger ethnolinguistic group Visayans, who constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group in the country. They originated in the province of Cebu in the region of Central Visayas, ...
, a priest from the Colegio del Santo Niño defended the Archbishop's declaration. Eventually, the Virgin Mary was welcomed as the official patroness and protectress of Cebu, being the closest saint to Jesus.
The devotion to the Santo Niño is common with worldwide veneration of the Infant Jesus of Prague
The Infant Jesus of Prague (: ) is a 16th-century wax-coated wooden statue of the Child Jesus holding a ''globus cruciger'' of Spanish origin, now located in the Discalced Carmelite Church of Our Lady of Victories in Malá Strana, Prague, C ...
. The image is found in many houses, business establishments, and public transportation. Traditionally, the image is often dressed in one of two colors: red is common for domestic images, while green – symbolizing luck – is worn by those enshrined in businesses. However, the church declared that red is the prescribed color of the image, not green. It is also often dressed in miniature costumes that often reflect the profession of its devotee such as physicians, nurses, policemen, or teachers. Another popular variation is the Santo Niño de Atocha which in the country is uniquely in a standing pose rather than seated as with the Spanish version.
See also
* Santo Niño de Tondo
* Santo Niño de Arévalo
*Black Nazarene
''Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno'' (), officially and liturgically known as Jesús Nazareno, and popularly known as the Black Nazarene (; ), is a life-sized dark statue of Jesus Christ carrying the True Cross. The venerated image is enshrined in ...
* Infant Jesus of Mechelen (Child Jesus of Malines)
*Infant Jesus of Prague
The Infant Jesus of Prague (: ) is a 16th-century wax-coated wooden statue of the Child Jesus holding a ''globus cruciger'' of Spanish origin, now located in the Discalced Carmelite Church of Our Lady of Victories in Malá Strana, Prague, C ...
(Child Jesus of Prague)
*Novena
A novena (from , "nine") is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. The nine days between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost, when the ...
References
*Sto. Nino de Cebu. http://www.malapascua.de/Cebu/Cebu_6__Santo_Nino/cebu_6__santo_nino.html
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santo Nino de Cebu
Statues of the Christ Child
Catholic Church in the Philippines
Religion in Cebu
Visayan culture
Culture in Cebu City
Catholic devotions