Holy Child to roam bridge cities

The image of the Santo Niño will be brought to the “bridge cities” starting today until Saturday in what will be a historic change in the traditional “Traslacion” of the yearly Fiesta Señor.

Aside from Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City will be part of the Translacion route this year. A first for the Santo Niño image.

Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, secretary of this year’s fiesta committee and media liaison officer, told SunStar Cebu that at 2 a.m. today, parishioners of the Archdiocesan Shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe in her namesake barangay in Cebu City will bring the holy image of their patron to the Fuente Osmeña circle.

At 4:30 a.m., the image will then be accompanied by devotees towards the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in a penitential Walk with Mary.

Once the images of the Santo Niño and the Lady of Guadalupe are reunited at the Basilica, a Traslacion mass will be held at the Basilica Pilgrim Center at 5:30 a.m.

Fr. Manuel Tan, parish priest of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, will serve as main presider and homilist of the Traslacion Mass.

After the mass, the two images will then be brought via motorcade to Mandaue City at 7 a.m.

Reyes said the motorcade will pass by Osmeña Blvd., D. Jakosalem Str., General Maxilum Ave., Gorordo Ave., Archbishop Reyes Ave., Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave. before reaching A.S. Fortuna St. where Mandaue City officials will welcome the two images.

Fr. Pacifico “Jun” Nohara Jr, Basilica rector, will turn over the two images to Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing.

From A.S. Fortuna St., the motorcade will then proceed to A. del Rosario St., then to S.B. Cabahug St. before reaching the National Shrine of St. Joseph the Patriarch in Barangay Centro in Mandaue City.

The two images will stay in Mandaue City for a night before they will be brought to Lapu-Lapu City on Saturday just before the traditional seaborne procession.

Reyes advised devotees who will be joining the Traslacion to avoid bringing balloons and using fireworks to welcome the two images.

Security measures will also be in place during the Translacion.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) assured that they are prepared for the procession for the Walk with Mary and Translacion today.

With more than a hundred police officers guarding the Basilica Minore Del Sto. Niño alone, Supt. Artemio Ricabo, spokesperson of the CCPO, said they are ready for the thousand devotees expected to join the religious activity.

“We both have uniformed and covert personnel on the ground to guard the devotees. The intelligence community has also been activated, same with our force multipliers,” Ricabo said.

Ricabo said the augmentation from the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue were also in place.

K9 units and Explosive and Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel will also conduct roving in the basilica and other important routes for the celebration of the Sinulog. /