Feature

FILIPINO CATHOLICS CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF SANTO NIÑO

By RON KUZLIK     2/4/2025

FILIPINO CATHOLICS in the Diocese of Orange celebrated Sinulog, or Santo Niño Festival, on Saturday, Jan. 18 at St. Pius V Catholic Church in Buena Park and Sunday, Jan. 19 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orange.

Santo Niño means “Holy Child” and refers to the sacred image of the infant Jesus Christ.

The tradition celebrates the birth of Catholicism in the Philippines more than 500 years ago when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan offered an image of the Baby Jesus to Queen Juana after she and her husband, Rajah Humabon, King of Cebu, converted to Christianity.

In the Philippines, Sinulog is one of the largest annual cultural festivals, featuring special Masses, song and ritual prayer dances that accompany blessing of the Baby Jesus statues. It is also commonplace in many American parishes and dioceses with Filipino parishioners.

HOLY FAMILY PARISH IN ORANGE RECENTLY HELD ITS FIRST SANTO NIÑO CELEBRATION TO COMMEMORATE THE BIRTH OF CATHOLICISM IN THE PHILIPPINES. PHOTO COURTESY OF HOLY FAMILY PARISH

The population of Filipino Americans in California is about 1.6 million which accounts for about 38% of the entire Filipino American population in the United States.

Here in the Diocese of Orange, a nine-day Santo Niño Novena leading up to the feast day was concluded with a special Santo Niño Mass. In addition to the Masses were processions by faithful of all ages, young and old alike, carrying their Santo Niño statues to be blessed. The statues ranged in size from a few inches tall to over a couple feet in height.

Afterwards were receptions and celebrations with song, dance and of course, a selection of Filipino foods and desserts.

According to Zaida DeLeon, leader of the St. Paul V Simbang Gabi Group, the Santo Niño Celebration at St Pius V Catholic Church started around 1997. “A group of Santo Niño devotees from Cebu, Philippines,” said DeLeon, “reached out to Johnny Cortes, the leader of the Filipino Community at St. Pius V about organizing a Feast of Santo Niño, similar to the annual celebration held in Cebu annually in the month of January.”

The Santo Niño celebration at St. Pius V was suspended during the pandemic, but resumed in 2023 when combined Simbang Gabi and Santo Niño Groups planned and prepared an 18-day long Feast of Santo Niño Celebration which was attended by over 800 people. Currently, Simbang Gabi and Santo Niño Group members plan the celebration a year in advance.

To raise funds for the celebration, a Luau Dinner Dance Fundraiser attended by around 400 people was held in August 2024. Santo Niño t-shirts made in Cebu were sold during the Simbang Gabi celebration in December 2024 and after Sunday Masses in early January 2025.

Members of the group also solicited for donations from Santo Niño devotees, families and friends.

“Most attendees are Filipino Americans who migrated from the Philippines or who were born and raised in the U.S. by Filipino immigrants,” DeLeon said. “The Hispanic community at St. Pius V also attends the celebration.”

Fr. Sy Nguyen is the pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Orange. Even though this is the parish’s first time celebrating Sinulog, or Santo Niño, he is very hopeful going forward.

“Our Filipino community here at Holy Family was formed only two years ago,” he said. “The devotion to the Santo Niño has become an integral part of the religious practice in the Philippines. If you go to a Catholic Filipino home, you will almost certainly see a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a statue of the Santo Niño.

“I am excited to begin this tradition of Sinulog in our parish, the joyful and festive dancing with the Santo Niño is a unique cultural feature that attracts the rest of the community.”

For more information go to stpiusvbp.org or hforange.org