Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño
Cebu’s historical Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño is the oldest Catholic Church in Cebu. Located at the heart of downtown Cebu, the Basilica is a house of prayer and pilgrimage to hundreds of thousands of people each year. It houses the image of the Sto.Niño, a representation of Jesus as a black Holy Child.
The Church is said to be built on the exact spot where Spanish explorers in 1565 found the Holy Child image preserved in a burned wooden box left behind during the 1521 Magellan expedition. The Spaniards who discovered the image called it miraculous for it survived the fire that destroyed the structure that housed it. When it was found, it was burnt so badly, the fire had totally blackened it and made it hardly recognizable.
The convent of the Sto.Niño was founded by an Augustinian priest, Fr. Andres de Urdaneta, on April 28, 1965, the same day the Legazpi-Urdaneta expedition arrived in the shores of Cebu.
There were three churches built prior to the present one. In 1566, the first church was built by Fr. Diego de Herrera using wood and nipa, but was destroyed by fire. The image of the Sto. Niño had also survived the fire. In 1605, Fr. Pedro Torres began the construction of a new church, again made of wood and nipa. However, it got burnt down again in 1628. That same year, Fr. Juan Medina started the construction of another church, using stone and bricks. But construction was halted because the structure was found to be defective due to the bricks used.
In February 29, 1735, Father Provincial Bergano, Governor-General Fernando Valdes, Bishop Manuel Antonio Decio y Ocampo of Cebu and Juan de Albarran, prior of the Sto. Niño, began the foundations of today’s church, utilizing hewn stone. There was a lot of help being extended by Fr. Antonio Lopez, prior of San Nicolas and the people of his district, the residents of Talisay, and Father Francisco Aballe together with his parishioners from Mactan. The construction was completed in 1739. In 1965, Pope Paul VI elevated the church to the rank of Basilica Minore during the fourth centenary of the Christianization of the Philippines. Today, the Basilica remains under the care of the Order of St. Augustine.
The inside of the church houses a magnificent background altarpiece of different patron saints.
The Basilica has an architectural style that is a blend of Muslim, Romanesque and neo-classicism. The façade of the church is preserved in its original stone texture and natural color, which conveys a simple elegance. The bell tower serves as a counterbalance to the convent situated at the opposite far end. Its rounded dome is of Muslim influence. The center section is the focus of attention. The arched main entrance is balanced by the rectangular corners on the side and a double-edged triangular pediment crowns the façade.
A small museum inside the Basilica is also a beautiful thing to appreciate as it seems to record the history of Christianity in Cebu. It displays various antique objects, century-old furniture, priestly garments and the Sto. Niño’s old cloaks donated by individuals over the centuries. There are also religious articles such as statues and relics and other items of daily life which have been donated by the devotees. Toys are also found inside the museum – these are said to be presents to the Holy Child Jesus.
The Sto.Niño image in the Basilica is widely believed to be the same one given by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana back in 1521, as a gift for their allegiance. The reputation of the Sto. Niño image as miraculous is also being carried by reports made by basilica helpers that it sometimes goes out of its glass case to take long walks at night. They point to the grass stains found at the statue’s dress as evidence. This has been dismissed as superstition, but it has strengthened the belief of devotees that the Sto. Niño watches over their homeland. The Sto. Niño, patron of Cebu, is the one a lot of Cebuanos turn to for strength and guidance in the happy and sad times.
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