By John Rey Saavedra/PNA
CEBU CITY — The fiesta of the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu on Friday officially closed with the ceremonial “Hubo” (undressing) of the century-old image of the Holy Child before placing it back to its bulletproof glass placement at a chapel inside the Basilica’s Minore del Santo Niño.
Augustinian friar, Fr. Pacifico Nohara Jr., the Basilica’s prior-rector, celebrated the early dawn mass and traditional undressing of the image’s full regalia and vestment at the church’s pilgrim center.
The priest washed the image with water and wiped it with white linen before clothing it with ordinary vestment and simple regalia. It was returned to the glass housing inside the Basilica where it will stay until next year’s Fiesta Señor.
The undressing of the image’s garb and replacing it with ordinary vestment signifies renewal of the devotion to the Santo Niño, the priest said.
Given this year’s theme of the Roman Catholic church in the Philippines’ Year of the Youth, “Filipino Youth in Mission: Beloved, Gifted, Empowered”, Fr. Nohara reminded the faithful that young Filipinos have a role to play in the church, in the community, and in the family. “The foundation of their (youth) faith is very important,” he said.
Teach them good manners, discipline them in such a way that they will not get hurt,” the Augustinian friar said.
