In the Santo Niño Church of Cebu City which is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, an interesting dance ritual is performed by pilgrims from all parts of Cebu, the Visayas, and Mindanao, before the Image of the famous Santo Niño.

The "Sinulog", as this dance is called by the Cebunos, is performed by the pilgrims in order to obtain the Santo Niño's help in all their needs and to thank Him for favors received.

The origin of the "Sinulog" has never been fully explained to the present day, As a religious dance patterned after the Muslim ceremonial dance, the "Sinulog" has a beauty all its own. The dancers are a motley crowd, representing men and women of various ages from all walks of life. In the Sinulog", there is still something of the native Philippines, for it is a primitive practice to worship images for their own sake. However, there is nothing irreverent or unbecoming about the dance. It has become an integral part of the Fiesta Señor celebration, as the feast of the Santo Niño is called, held every year on the second Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany.

The dance probably came into being as a means of invoking the Image's protection and help against al kinds of disaster in the days of Queen Humabon.

Later on when the Image had been transferred to the care of the Augustiñan priests, and the conversion of the Cebuanos to the Catholic faith as accomplished, the dance became more subdued and was made an optional part of the yearly Fiesta Señor celebration.

Dancing begins in the patio in front of the church and shouts fill the air. A closer observation ill reveal that the dancers are shouting their petitions and thanksgivings to the Señor.

These pilgrims have to shout, for being simple folks, they want to be sure that the Señor hears them. If one is dancing by proxy, he has to let the Señor kno about this. He introduces himself this way, "Pit Señor! Señor Santo Niño, Manoy Kikoy say thank you so much for the baby boy born to his wife eight months ago! Before I forget, Manding Orang also told me to thank you for saving her daughter from malaria while she was in Mindanao." In other cases, someone who wants to ask favors say: "Pit Señor! Señor Santo Niño, please make me walk again! I have been crippled since I fell from the coconut tree while gathering tuba."

"Pit Señor! Señor Santo Niño, our cornfields are drying and the creeks have dried up. Please send us rain."

Any spectator of the "Sinulog" will be struck by the dancers' unconcern for the people around tem and the intense faith shown in their faces which leaves even the unbeliever in respectful silence and awe.

From the patio, the dancers gradually move inside the church until they reach the altar where the dance reaches its climax and is ended before the Santo Niño Image. The dance takes several hours to perform.

After the dance, the pilgrims fall in line to kiss the Santo Niño. Many bring handkerchiefs and religious articles like crucifixes and rosaries which are touched to the Image. They believe that these articles touching the Santo Niño acquire healing powers.

For the last four centuries, neither war, typhoon, nor earthquake has dimmed the faith of these pilgrims who have come and gone with each passing year.

The "Sinulog", performed for the Santo Niño is as old as the history of the gradual Christianization of the Philippines and will probably remain forever in the pattern of Cebuano life.

Fiesta Señor  Sto. Niño de Cebu
CATHOLIC  FILIPINO  PASTORAL  COMMUNITY of HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, TAWAU