 Each year on the third Sunday of January, we have a special celebration of the Santo Niño--the Holy Child Jesus. This is a devotion especially close to the hearts of our many Filipino parishioners. Many bring their own images of Santo Niño from home for the blessing which takes place during Mass.  The Fil-Am Choir, under the direction of Carmen Pelayre, sing sacred music from the Philippines during the Mass.  At the conclusion of Mass, the image of Santo Niño is brought in procession to the Cathedral Hall, where a great fiesta is waiting!  In this Centennial year of St. James Cathedral, there were historic displays in the Hall to celebrate 100 years of Filipino presence in the Cathedral parish.  A familiar sight in Manila--brightly colored Jeepneys are the way to get from place to place!  A collection of dolls model traditional and contemporary costume.  Dozens of Cathedral parishioners worked many hours to prepare the incredible array of Filipino food for the reception. In the Philippines, the celebration of the Santo Niño is one of the biggest public festivals of the year. It's been said that "It would be an understatement to say that people are dancing in the streets. The streets themselves are dancing!"
Read more about the tradition of the Santo Niño here. Photos by M. Laughlin © St. James Cathedral, Seattle. All rights reserved. |
