Neither the rain nor the nippy draft of Saturday morning deterred the thousands of tourists, balikbayans and Cebuanos who flocked the piers of the city to witness the miraculous image of the Child Jesus as he visits his mother, the Virgin of the Rule in Lapu-lapu City, and returns to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in Cebu City.
Despite the uncooperative weather that drenched multitudes of devotees, the Solemn Procession that took place last Saturday, January 16, 2010, was admirable. The organizers estimated the participants to be a noteworthy 1.2 million, at the very least.
An impressive mañanita mass started the festivities on January 17, Sunday. The weather remained difficult that day and yet a remarkable 6 million to 8 million people went out of their warm, comfortable beds to join the Sinulog grand parade, which covered all routes leading to the Cebu City Sports Center. A total of 133 contingents, counting in floats and higantes, participated in the celebration of the Sinulog’s 30th anniversary.
This year’s Sinulog celebration is far from over, with upcoming events such as the “Hubo” Mass on January 22, and the upcoming photo exhibit. And yet, we cannot help but already anticipate what Sinulog 2011 would be.
The "Hubo" ritual, or the undressing of the Sto. Niño image, takes place five days after the Grand Sinulog Parade held every 3rd Sunday of January.
Hubo is the Cebuano word for "to undress". During the mass, priests ceremonially remove the festival garments of the image, bath the image in water laced with perfume, and don the image with ordinary vestments. According to Catholic tradition, the change of garments to less decorated ones symbolizes spiritual change within a person. The order of removal is as follows:
The bathing of the child Jesus also has significant meaning. When the image undergoes bathing, it symbolizes purification and cleansing to "renew ties with God". The water used to wash the image is then referred to as "holy water." However, many devotees try to ascribe the said water with magical and miraculous powers, to the disapproval of priests. According to the clergy, the holy water ought to bring adherents to a spirit of prayer, not heal any ailments and cure diseases automatically.
The new, ordinary garments are also used to elicit prayer. Every piece of clothing is taken to signify an event of Jesus’ life, and a prayer is recited for it.
Catholic Cebuanos believe that just as the Sinulog festival closes the Christmas season, the Hubo mass also closes the week-long fiesta and opens the Lenten season. In the past, the Hubo ritual was held behind closed doors by Augustinian friars and select women. After the public learned of the closed ritual, the church finally made the ceremony public in 1990. Any church or parish is permitted to hold the ritual if it wishes to.
Be one with the Cebuanos as they celebrate the “HUBO” mass ritual at the Basilica del Sto. Niño, at 4 a.m. on January 22, 2010.
image source: fluvial
image source: solemn procession
image source: sinulog 2010
