CEBU PILGRIMAGE, Part 3 Observing the Devotions of the Cebuanos

Fr. Abe in the midst of ladies selling candles in front of the Basilica Minore of the Holy Child. These ladies are also praying, singing and dancing with dignity and solemnity with the people.

This is my second time to visit this place and each time is a source of inspiration for the faith. We arrived in front of the Basilica almost lunchtime yet the Basilica was full of people inside and outside. When the speakers announced that the Mass has been celebrated I expected that the Basilica will be free for us to enjoy. Instead, almost the same number of devotees entered and waited for the Holy Mass.

The area designated for the lighting of the Candles. I was not able to capture it all but the area was filled with people and it was ordinary day... Friday morning then. They were not simply lighting. They were stopping, closing their eyes in prayers.

Then, there are people who are simply passing by. They stop right in front of the main door of the Basilica and became silent for some minutes then they will put their hands on their mouth and blow a kiss for the Holy Child and before leaving they were waiving their hand as if journeying far and sending love messages by hand to a dearly beloved.

It's very hard to move in front of the Basilica because the plaza is always filled with people. The faithful are coming in and out like flood.

Obviously the faith expressions of the Cebuanos just like the devotees of the Black Nazarene and of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baclaran are manifestations of a genuine love-affair between Jesus and His people and between the Blessed Virgin and the Filipinos.

This man is silently praying from the heart as he lighted a candle

Catholics are very sacramental people. We want something to touch, to visualize so that our faith are expressed concretely in our lives. We worship God with our Soul and Body and we honor His Saints and the Blessed Mother in spirit and in our body.