On Sunday morning, many people gathered in Tondo, Manila, even before the sun came up, to join the special procession for the Feast of Sto. Niño de Tondo, a celebration honoring the Child Jesus.
The procession began at 4 a.m., and it was filled with images of the Sto. Niño, which were carried by devotees during the event. The church shared that the procession would last about three to four hours, as it went around the streets within the area.
To make sure everyone could join in the celebration, some road sections in Tondo were closed by the Manila Police District.
In addition to the procession, the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Niño (also known as the Sto. Niño de Tondo Parish) held a special blessing for the images of Sto. Niño brought by the people.
The history of Sto. Niño in the Philippines dates back to 1564 when the first image of the Child Jesus arrived from Natividad, Mexico. The very first procession for Sto. Niño was held in 1572 and has become an annual tradition since then.
Every year, the Feast of Sto. Niño de Tondo is celebrated on the third Sunday of January.
The celebration of Sto. Niño isn’t only in Manila; other places like Aklan (with the Ati-Atihan Festival) and Cebu (with the Sinulog Festival) also hold their own festivals in honor of Sto. Niño, attracting both tourists and devotees. It’s a time of joy, faith, and unity for many Filipinos across the country!
