MikeLigalig.com

Naa ba mo statue of Sto. Nino de Cebu sa inyong bay dinha? Ug naa ba mo--even if wala mo'y statue--what is your relationship to the blessed Sto Nino? Feel free to share stories in here...



The Message of Santo Nino de Cebu:

Santo Niño de Cebu is a representation of the Child Jesus, somewhat related to the Infant Jesus of Prague. Santo Niño de Cebu literally means "holy child of Cebu". The image was brought to the archipelago that would later become known as the Philippines on Ferdinand Magellan's near-circumnavigation and in 1521 was given to the Queen Juana of Cebu, who was later baptized into the Catholic faith along with her husband, Rajah Humabon, and their people. After the Spaniards turned against the Cebuanos, the Spaniards burned a good part of Cebu, and the image was caught in the blaze.

In 1565 with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors led by Miguel López de Legazpi, the image was found relatively unscathed. The image was quickly acknowledged as miraculous, and a church was later constructed on the site of the discovery. Today, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño is an important historical and religious landmark in Cebu, with devotees forming long queues to pay their respects to the Holy Child.

Native Cebuanos were not fully Christianized and continued to believe in their native, animistic, gods; recognizing the Santo Niño only as another "anito" (idol).

Even so, many myths and folklore surround the image as brought on by the religious beliefs of the people. Local helpers at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño have reported that the Santo Niño sometimes disappeared from its glass case at night only to return with grass stains on its clothes. This sparked speculations that the Santo Niño took long walks at night. There were never any official accounts of these stories and they were often dismissed as local superstitions but this did not lessen the number of devotees to the Santo Niño.

To date, the Santo Niño is still considered miraculous by some Cebuanos.

While the Santo Nino has been popular recently in the Philippines, perhaps its predecessor can be found in Spain during the 1400s which were still occupied by Muslims. Then pilgrims still travelled to the Holy Land and were often harassed on the road during their arduous journey. Sometimes it was said that a Christ Child had appeared to them at night dressed in fine clothes such as the Santo Nino of Cebu wore although in addition he bore a staff in his left hand where hung a gourd full of fresh water and also he bore a basket of bread in his right hand. These he would share with the famished pilgrims, perhaps appearing to another group of them the same night.

The image resided in a local chapel where parish women would tend to its fine apparel with special attention to see the Santo Nino's shoes were clean and bright. Often the parish ladies would arrive in the morning to find that the Christ Child's shoes which they had left so clean the day before had become soiled overnight as if he had been walking the roads. Spanish clergy heard the pilgrims' tales of the Santo Nino and went to witness the road beaten shoes when only the evening before they had been clean. They soon declared the Holy Child was miraculous and Santo Nino's fame spread around the world.

+++

Blessed is the Lord, who Works in Mysterious Ways.  

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4336.0

My mom is a devotee of the Santo Nino.

I say the novena sometimes, pero dili jud pareha ni mama nga every night naay nobenaryo ka Santo Nino.



Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4336.0

who is he???

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4336.0

There is also a festival in Cebu that commemorates the arrival of the blessed Child Jesus to the Philippines--it is known as Sinulog. Here are some pictures of the event:










++++++++++

The other forms of the blessed Child Jesus in other countries:


Santo Niño de Atocha

History
During the 13th Century, Spain was under invasion by the Moors. The town of Atocha was lost by Spain to the Moors, and the Christian males were taken prisoners. The Moors placed strict prohibitions on the Spanish prisoners and restricted their rights to food. Eventually, only children under the age of 12 who were closely related to the captives could bring food to solely their relatives. The women of Atocha knew that most people in the jails would not survive under such conditions. Praying before the statue of Our Lady of Atocha, they pleaded for the Virgin to ask her Son for help.

Reports began to spread among the people of Atocha that a child under the age of twelve had come to the prisons and given food and water to those in need. This young child, dressed in pilgrim's clothing, came to the prisons at night not only to bring the captives nourishment, but to talk and pray with them, giving them hope.

When the women of Atocha heard of the miraculous Child, they returned to Our Lady of Atocha and thanked the Blessed Virgin for her intercession. Looking upon the image of the Madonna, they noticed that the shoes worn by the Infant Jesus held by Our Lady of Atocha were tattered and dusty. The shoes were replaced but became soiled once again. The people of Atocha saw this as a sign that the Infant Jesus went out every night to help those in need..



Blessed Child Jesus of Prague

The devotion to the Holy Child Jesus has long been a tradition of the Catholic Church for a very long time. It starts at Bethlehem, and later, with the crib of Christmas of St. Francis of Assisi. This devotion is a veneration of our Lord's sacred Infancy. Many saints had a very strong devotion to the Divine Child, notably St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Teresa of Avila.

In 1556, Maria Manriquez de Lara brought a precious family heirloom, a statue of the child Jesus, with her to Bohemia (now Czech Republic), when she married the Czech nobleman Vratislav of Pernstyn. The image was made by an old Spanish monk, who received a vision from the Christ Child. The statue of the child is eighteen inches tall, carved of wood, and thinly coated with wax. The left foot is barely visible under a long white tunic. The statue stands on a broad pedestal, and there is a waist-high silver case which holds it upright. The left hand holds a miniature globe surmounted by a cross, signifying the worldwide kingship of Christ. The right hand is extended in blessing in a form usually used by the Supreme Pontiff; the first two fingers are upraised to symbolize the two natures in Christ, while the folded thumb and last two fingers touch each other to represent the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

In 1628, Lady Polyxena presented the statue to the Carmelites at the Church of the Virgin Mary the Victorious. This statue became known as the Infant Jesus of Prague. The Royal Infant of Prague made so many miracles that his devotion spread like fire to the whole world. Shortly after 1628, the Saxons and the Swedes took turns to invade Prague and the Carmelites had to flee and the veneration of the Holy Infant ceased. It was not until 1638 that a young priest named Fr. P. Cyril, a Matre Dei, returned to Prague and found the Holy Infant statue buried in the ruins of the Lady of Victory church. Fr. Cyril cleaned the statue and placed it in the oratory for worship. While he was praying before the Infant Jesus, he heard the Infant Jesus say: "Have pity on Me and I will have pity on you. Give Me My hands and I will give you peace. The more you honor Me, the more I will bless you".


Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4336.0

The same, really. The same Lord. People usually affiliate the baby jesus with compassion, love, forgiveness and respite. He is Love.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4336.0

A Holy Prayer to the Blessed Santo Nino de Cebu

PRAYER TO SANTO NINO
O Senor Santo Nino, you are our king and our God, we worship you. You are our strong defender, we turn to you. You are the patron of Cebu, the Philippines and the world, we come to you; You have made extraordinary wonders through your miraculous image in those chosen islands, remember us. Look down at this poor soul that comes to you for help. Lead us with Your wisdom; discipline us with your truth; console us with your tenderness, protect us with your might.

We consecrate today our thoughts of you, only with you shall they be occupied; our words, only of you shall they speak; our sufferings, that we may endure them for your sake. We beg you Senor Santo Nino, illumine our understanding, kindle our will, cleanse our body, sanctify our soul. We wish what you wish, because you wish, as you wish, as long as you wish.

Grant us, Senor Santo Nino, that we may feel love toward you, be strict toward ourselves be zealous toward our fellowmen, and rightly despise the things of the world. Help us to overcome sensuality with strict discipline, avariciousness with generosity, anger with gentleness, indolence with zealous industry. Make us wise in counsel, courageous in danger, patient in adversity, humble in prosperity.

Teach us, dear Santo Nino, how worthless is the world, how sublime is heaven, how brief is time, how long is eternity. Grant us, lastly, that we may remember you, adore you, love you and serve you here on earth that we may be happy with you forever and ever in heaven.

Amen
----------

DIVINE SUPPLICATION TO THE MIRACULOUS SANTO NINO DE CEBU

O Santo Nino, who has said, "ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you," Give we beseech you, to us who ask the gift of your divine love, that we may love you with our whole heart, in word and work, and never cease from showing forth your praise.

Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Your Holy Name, for you never fail to govern them whom you do solidly establish in Your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Verse 1
One day to these Islands. as gift and in pledge God sent you to us, o beloved Child And always you have been, the light of our souls The guide of our people, the flame in our hearts.
Chorus:
Senor Santo Nino, with your scepter guide our people, Who hail you king forever, the World is your Kingdom, Senor Santo Nino, in Your hands the world find its rest; Proclaim your truth and justice, bring to men Your peace and love.

Verse 2
The ship You were sailing, arrived at our shores To conquer this land, the pearl of the seas; But you had decided, to stay in this soil To conquer our people, and give us a name

(Repeat Chorus)

Verse 3
The queen and the rajah, accepting the faith, Received you in their arms, and fell on their knees They welcomed your presence, and called on your name To ask for your blessings, and help in their needs.

(Repeat Chorus) Verse 4

More ships in the Orient, with soldiers arrived; And searching for gold, they found you instead; Legaspi, Urdaneta, the Rajah, the Queen; Their subjects our people, proclaimed you their king.

(Repeat Chorus)

Verse 5
Now one as nation, we pay You respect Our people did pledge, a long time ago; We ask You to hear the prayers of all; The sad and forsaken, the poor and the sick.

(Repeat Chorus)

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O miraculous Santo Nino prostrate before your sacred Image, we beseech you to cast a merciful look on our troubled hearts. Let Your tender love, so inclined to pity, be softened at our prayers, and grant us that grace for which we ardently implore you. Take from us all unbearable affliction and despair. For your sacred infancy's sake hear our prayers and send us consolation and aid that we may praise you, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.







Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4336.0

Jesus did not remain a baby. Fact No. 1.
Jesus grew up and was 33 years old when he died for our sins. Fact No. 2
Jesus Christ was buried and rose from the grave on the third day. Fact No. 3
Jesus Christ is now sitting on the right hand at the throne of God the Father. Truth No. 4
Jesus Christ is coming back again to rule over earth. Truth No. 5.
In all these, Jesus is not depicted in the Bible as a baby king. Yes, he was once a baby, born in a manger, but he did not remain in that state. He grew up and lived with us and preached the gospel.
Little was known about Jesus' boyhood in the Bible. If it is not written in the Bible about this boyhood history of Jesus, it means it's not that important.

Today we worship the Lord Jesus Christ as God who is supreme over all things. None of the apostles ever mentioned of a baby Jesus who should be worshiped. No word of Sto. Nino can be found in the Bible.

Sto Nino is not worshiped by Orthodox Christians all over Europe.
Sto Nino is not worshiped by the Christian Jews.
Sto Nino is not worshiped by Christians in America, Europe, Australia, Canada, and Asia, except in the Philippines.
Even the Christians in Thailand have no idea what this Sto. Nino is. The more than 1 billion Christians in the world don't worship the Sto. Nino, but only the Filipinos who were once tricked and fooled by the bastard Spanish.

History tells us that the Sto. Nino was the ploy and trick used by the Spanish conquerors in order to convert the Cebuanos into "Christianity". On the day the Spanish first landed on Cebu shores, they found that the natives were worshiping an idol, a carved image in a form of a baby, whoever that was. That was the god of the natives in Cebu. So in order to convince the natives that their black baby idol/god was the same Jesus in the Christian religion, the smart Spanish, the creative Spanish invented the Sto. Nino.

Anything outside the confines of the Bible is fallacy.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4336.0

Very interesting, Mike.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4336.0