Hundreds of Filipinos living in Macau gathered at St. Augustine’s (Santo Agostinho) Church yesterday to celebrate the Sinulog festival.
Annually celebrated in Cebu City, the festival is held every third Sunday in January. Associação do Santo Niño de Cebu em Macau President Violeta Duran told The Macau Post Daily in an interview last week that “Sinulog” is derived from the Cebuano word “Sulog”, which means water current movement.
The Sinulog, the ritual prayer dance honouring Señor Santo Niño, or Holy Child Jesus, is reminiscent of the movement and is done to the drumming of Sinulog beats. “When we dance the Sinulog, you take two steps forward and one step back, which is similar to how a river flows.”
Filipinos in Macau have celebrated the festival in the city for over 20 years, with its main purpose being to “propagate the Catholic faith and the devotion of Santo Niño”, Duran noted, pointing out that aside from expressing prayer, devotion and thanksgiving, it also an important cultural and religious festival in the Philippines.
Duran said she believes that the festival is important as it can gather and unite the local Filipino community. Being part of the Filipino culture and tradition, it can also help in reducing homesickness. “For me, all of my kids are in the Philippines. I miss home too. It helps people get that feeling of the Philippines, of home”, Duran said.
Duran added that the festival can also be a way to show the strong faith of the devotees and introduce aspects of the Filipino culture and the festival’s celebration to those who may not be familiar with it.
Meanwhile, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Duran said that the festival included a procession, contests, performances and the serving of food, all of which changed with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since the pandemic, we only have a Mass and then perform Sinulog in front of the church”, which is held for 20 minutes to the sound of Sinulog beats so that attendees can dance while holding the image of Santo Niño.
However, Duran said that the festival is “surely” expected to go back to how it used to be celebrated next year.
Associação do Santo Niño de Cebu em Macau President Violeta Duran (first from left) and committee members (from second left to right) Deborrah Fajardo, Adelina Pano and Melanie Fernandez pose with a statue of the Holy Child Jesus (or the Santo Niño de Cebu) last week at St. Augustine’s Church. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
Photos taken yesterday by Rui Pastorin
