ABW Dec 2017

archiemercader.com
the 81 scriptures. Worship is followed by the
lighting of joss sticks and having one’s fortune
told by a monk. Open to non-worshippers, the
temple contains a chapel, library and a wishing
well. The views from the temple over Cebu and
nearby islands of Mactan and Bohol are quite
stunning.
Sinulog’s Annual Fluvial Procession
The Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is an annual
cultural and religious festival held on the third
Sunday of January in Cebu City, and is the centre
of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in the
Philippines.
The festival is considered to be one of the most
popular festivals in the Philippines, with every
celebration of the festival routinely attracting
around 1 to 2 million people from all over the
Philippines every year. Aside from the religious
aspect of the festival, Sinulog is also famous for
its street parties, usually happening the night
before and the night of the main festival.
Other places like Kabankalan City, Maasin City,
Balingasag Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro
City, Butuan City, and Southern Leyte also have
their own version of the festival in honour of
Santo Niño.
One of the main highlights of the festival is the
grand street parade which lasts for 9 to 12 hours
with participants coming from the different
towns and cities of Cebu and from Luzon,
Visayas and Mindanao across the Philippines.
The Sinulog dance contingents are dressed in
bright coloured costumes dancing gracefully to
the rhythm of drums, trumpet and native gongs.
Smaller versions of the festival are held in
various parts of the province, also to celebrate
and honour the Santo Niño. There is also a
“Sinulog sa Kabataan” performed by the youths
of Cebu a week before the parade. Recently,
Sinulog fluvial procession
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