Sinulog Festival

The Sinulog festivities in Cebu officially come to an end as Augustinian friars change the vestments on the image of the Sto. Niño today.

The annual ritual called Hubo, a Visayan word for undress, would take place at dawn today at the Pilgrim Center of the Basilica del Sto. Niño.

A similar ceremony will be led by Msgr. Cristobal Garcia, Archdiocesan Commission on Worship chairman, at mid-morning today in Talisay City.

Garcia, also founder of the religious congregation Society of the Angels of Peace in Talisay City, would change the vestments of the Sto. Niño image, which was blessed by the late Pope John Paul II in 1990.

It was the same image used in the Misa de Translacion and the fluvial procession on the eve of the Fiesta Señor.

The priest-presider of the Hubo Mass, which usually lasts for more than an hour, will lead the ritual wherein the royal garment of the Sto. Niño image would be changed to “everyday” clothing.

After each piece of clothing was taken off, a prayer related to an event in the life of Jesus Christ would be recited by the congregation. The priest would remove the crown first, followed by the orb and scepter.

The red velvet robe, the white alb or the full-length white linen ecclesiastical vestment with long sleeves that is tied at the waist, the white kamiseta made of lace and red bloomers would be taken off.

The wooden image would then be dipped in perfumed water for “washing.”

The image would be dressed up again in a new but less ornate set of vestments and jewelry.

Benedicta Bascon, a former Camarera or lady in waiting for the Sto. Niño, said the ritual used to be held in the private cloister of the Augustinian friars.

“There were so many people who would knock on the door asking to be let in the parlor so that they could watch the ritual,” she said.

She said the priests eventually gave in to the persistent requests of the devotees.

The priests decided to conduct a similar ceremony, using a different image of the Sto. Niño at the Pilgrim Center in 1990.

The perfumed water where the image would be dipped, was distributed to the devotees after the Mass because it was s believed to be miraculous.

The Catholic Church, however, teaches that the water is only an instrument that helps dispose the sick person to prayer.