TACLOBAN : STO NIÑO OF JUNE

WHY JUNE AND NOT JANUARY?

Sancta Porta ceiling paiting of

Sto Niño Parish Tacloban

Sto. Niño de Tacloban 1889
December 16, 2013 · Toronto, Canada ·

REMEMBER Leyteños the 1889 miracle of the Sto Niño de Tacloban...... "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22
The Santo Nino de Leyte has been the object of devotion and worship by Leytenos since the first Missionaries in the island introduced the Image. Over the years, the residents of Tacloban were drawn together by their mutual affection for the Child Jesus.

The "Hermanidad han Santo Nino" was later created and the feast day of the Holy Child was celebrated every third Sunday of January. However, a series of dramatic and miraculous events unfolded and forever changed and shaped the destiny of the Leytenos and their patron saint, Senor Santo Nino.
In 1888, the original image of the Child Jesus, known as the "El Capitan", was brought to Manila for a facelift and a change of its vestments in preparation for its forthcoming feast day. On its return trip to Tacloban on-board the steamship "Luzon", the image was packed in a crate together with some heavy bronze "Candelabras".

The Santo Nino, however, did not reach its destination as the ship caught fire off the coast of the Mindoro and Romblon provinces. In the midst of the confusion, the crate containing the image of the Sto. Nino was thrown overboard and, for some time was believed to be lost at sea.

A year after the incident, the devotees and residents of Tacloban were at the brink of giving up all hope of ever seeing their beloved Sto. Nino again. The feast day of the Holy Child came and went without a celebration. Adding to this despair was a cholera epidemic that engulfed Tacloban. The deadly plague claimed many lives and, almost every night, its victims were loaded into a "aromata" or two-wheeled carriage drawn by carabao, to be buried in common graves.

At the height of the epidemic, the Leyte Governor received a letter from Jose Gil de Avalle, Military Governor of Mindoro, stating that a crate labeled "Santo Nino Han Tacloban" was spotted at sea by one of his Barrio Lieutenants. The crate was seen afloat with a boy standing on its top and, to the disbelief of the natives of Mindoro, it remained afloat despite its heavy load of bronze Candelabras.
The Hermanidad promptly organized and dispatched a team of nine volunteers to retrieve the image. News of the recovery and the image's expected arrival spread like wild fire. Devotees and residents, including those struck with the plague - in canes, crutches, stretchers and hammocks - all trooped to the waterfront to welcome home their beloved Sto. Nino.

The boat "Consuelo" bearing the Sto. Nino was met with much rejoicing as it docked at about three in the afternoon, June 30, 1889. History reveals that on this day, the cholera epidemic disappeared. Since then, the 30th of June became the feast day of the Senor Santo Nino de Leyte. It is always a day of thanksgiving, prayer, rejoicing and celebration.

Sto Niño de Tacloban, pray for the survivors & the deceased victims of Typhoon Yolanda!

By
Gilda Giron
Photo: jakku

VISIT TACLOBAN: STO NINO CHURCH

the tall tan-colored SANTO NIÑO CHURCH will take your eyes from the busy street of REAL near the MAGSAYSAY-JUSTICE junction.

the CHURCH shelters the CITY's PATRON SAINT the Child Jesus or popularly known as SENIOR SANTO NIÑO. the honoring of the Saint is held on the 30th of June, with the so-called BALYUAN rites at the BALYUAN PARK, now known as the TACLOBAN AMPHITHEATER.

The tall tanned belfry shows the religious dominance of CATHOLICS in the city. the whole church can accommodate thousands of CATHOLICS. the new facade of the structure could be seen with modern designs and creative carvings. inside is a marble flooring and chairs made of wood. the altar stage has podiums and mass tables which has fine touch of gold shades. the main altar where the hundred old child Jesus made of ivory is placed in the most center part of a tall pure gold plated altar, and on the sides are the paintings of Angels with realistic colors and hues.

on the ceilings are old chandeliers which where i could still remember those were still the same chandeliers 20 years ago when we used to attend a mass in STO. NIÑO CHURCH.

here's a brief history of TACLOBAN's strength. The SANTO NIÑO CHURCH.

Tacloban which came under the patronage of Dulce Nombre de Jesus was founded as a visita by the Jesuits under the jurisdiction of Palo in 1596. Sometime later, Tacloban was entrusted to the parish of Basey in Samar. It cannot yet be ascertained when Tacloban finally became a parish. Certainly, when Tacloban was made as the capital of the province of Leyte in 1768, it could have been a parish for quite a time already. That year Tacloban was turned over by the Jesuits to the Agustinians. In 1804 the secular clergy took over the parish which was later on handed to the Franciscans in 1843. Finally in 1990, the parish was given to the care of the secular clergy.

Early Church structure was made up of Nipa and light materials. It was only in 1860 that a new Church in a Romanesque style was constructed. It had a massive appearance with round-headed arches on small windows. The walls were thick supported by buttresses. It had two belfries and with a top having a four-cornered roof with turrets. This was destroyed by a strong typhoon few years after. When the Church was rebulit, they decided to have only one belfry. A big earthquake during the Japanese time destroyed a large part of the Church. When it was reconstructed in the late 1940's a bigger church was made to accomodate the burgeoning population.

The present structure of the main body of the Church goes back to this time. In 1983, the Church flooring was mounted with marble, a retablo wade of synthetic mirror-like panels was placed on the main altar to enshrine the image of the Sto. Nino, and wooden retablos were placed on the side altars. The belfry had undergone several structural changes until it obtained its present form in 1986. The side-wings expansion in 1988 was a project of Bp. Filomeno bactol.

In 1994, during the time of Msgr. Estanislao Abarca stained glass panels representing the mysteries of the Holy Rosary were put up. Under the care of Msgr. Cesar Petilla, the construction of a new gold-leafed retablo on the main altar and the gold leafing of the side altars were undertaken. This was inaugurated during the Jubilee year on April 15, 2000.

until now, the church, continuously serves it's beloved TACLOBANONs and serves as an inspiration on how God loves his people.

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