How to respect the solemnity of the Sinulog

Let us all remember that while the Sinulog has become a huge tourism event, it is essentially and primarily a religious celebration. The Sinulog is, first and foremost, a day of venerating the Holy Child, and just incidentally a big big business opportunity for vendors, for taxi and jeepney operators, for airline and shipping companies, the tourism industry players, and the hotels and restaurants. Lest we forget, the intrinsic meaning and purpose of the Sinulog is spiritual, rather than economic, not financial, or social, much less entertainment. Let us teach our children, especially the millennials, that the Sinulog means prayers, not really just street dancing, or eating, drinking, and enjoyment.

It is senseless for some of our fellow Cebuanos who are now permanent residents in the US, Canada, UK, or elsewhere to come home for the Sinulog and spend all their days partying and celebrating and forgetting to even hear Mass and visit the churches and the basilica. It defeats the purpose of the whole celebration if and when many OFWs from Saudi or Qatar, Dubai, Kuwait, or Hong Kong would time their annual vacation during the Sinulog and then spend all the days of their sojourn drinking, eating, and dancing in the streets all the time. It is just like spending vacation Christmas and forgetting altogether the very reason for the season.

We do not wish to sound more popish than the pope or to sound like a killjoy or something. We have nothing against enjoyment and fun, nothing against bonding and forgetting all the tension and stressful situations in the workplaces and our respective communities. But what we hasten to interject is that we should all respect the solemnity of the Sinulog. Let us give enough consideration for and focus on the spiritual and religious dimensions of the entire celebration. It is a pity if we come all the way from Manila or from other countries and we skipped visiting the Holy Child in His shrine. It is a pity if we leave Cebu City after the celebration without having experienced being touched spiritually by the Holy Spirit and failed to feel the blessings of the Lord.

We feel sad that many of the Cebuanos and the tourists who attend this solemn occasion merely consider it as a day of merriment and fun. Many of us have transformed the Sinulog into an opportunity to make money by selling memorabilia and food and drinks. Well, there is nothing wrong if we do a little business here and there. But business should not be the main focus of the Sinulog, it should not be the central theme of the celebration. Business is a bonus or a by-product. The main message of Sinulog is spiritual cleansing and regaining once again the purity of our intentions and the dignity of our soul, just like what characterizes the Holy Child. That is to be reborn as a child again, with new hope and a stronger faith.

Pit Senyor to one and all.