CEBU CITY – The 459th Fiesta Señor celebration here kicked off on Thursday, January 11, with the Penitential Walk with Jesus, a dawn foot procession, participated in by thousands of devotees.
The religious procession started at 4 a.m. at Fuente Osmeña and ended at around 5:30 a.m. at the Pilgrim Center of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu where a Mass was held.
THOUSANDS of devotees pack the pilgrim center of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu where a Mass was held after the Penitential Walk with Jesus on Thursday, January 11. (Photo via Calvin D. Cordova)
“The Walk with Jesus marks the beginning, the start of Fiesta Señor 2024. They say that once the month January arrives, all roads lead to Basilica, all roads lead to Santo Niño,” said Rev. Fr. Nelson Zerda who celebrated the Mass.
According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), at least 200,000 devotees filled Osmeña Boulevard, the route of the procession.
Despite the huge crowd, no untoward incidents were reported throughout the duration of the procession although some devotees were brought to medical stations after their blood pressure went up, the CDRRMO said.
Police Col. Ireneo Dalogdog, chief of the Cebu City Police Office, monitored the procession.
“We want to thank the devotees for heeding to our call to cooperate to make the procession peaceful and orderly,” said Dalogdog.
Some 1,335 personnel from Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, and force multipliers secured the activity.
More than 100 policemen were deployed at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.
This year’s Fiesta Señor has the “Santo Niño: Magnet of Love in the Synodal Church.”