Viva Senyor Santo Niño!

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

A million devotees of the Santo Niño de Cebu began their pilgrimage last Thursday after the Solemnity of the Epiphany and it will end on Sunday.

Several years ago, Pope Innocent XIII moved the celebration to the third Sunday of January in order that it will not conflict with the 40-day celebration of Easter.

With the increasing number of devotees, among them those from Negros Oriental, flocking to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu, Pope Paul VI elevated its rank with all the rights and privileges accruing to such conferment for the Quad-centennial celebration of Christianity in the Philippines.

Today, the Fiesta Señor celebration in our country has been set on the third Sunday of January. The festival that follows is known as the Sinulog, which combines the festivities and religious devotion of the people.

The devotion to the Santo Niño de Cebu has drawn millions of devotees in our country. From Cebu, the Augustinians spread the devotion in Manila, Iloilo, Laguna, Tacloban and other parts of the country.

The image is known to have performed numerous miracles over the years. It is said that a voluminous book would be needed to record all the attestations and testimonials to the goodness and mercy the image has wrought in many lives.

In times of personal problems, and in all the calamities that plague, not only our country, but also other parts of the world, we need miracles to give us hope and inspiration.

We need Divine Intervention. Viva Senyor Santo Niño!*