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<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-23/sinulog-festival.avif" alt="Sinulog Festival" loading="lazy" />
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(Sinulog Festival, via Wikipedia)
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<h4>
Historical Background
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The festival traces its origins back to 1521 when Portuguese explorer <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1595/march-16-1521-magellan-sighted-the-eastern-coast-of-samar" class="news_link">Ferdinand Magellan</a> gifted the image of the Santo Niño to <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/2894/rajah-humabon-king-of-cebu-in-the-16th-century" class="news_link">Rajah Humabon</a> and his wife, Hara Humamay,  the rulers of Cebu, upon their conversion to Christianity and strategic alliance with the Spanish. According to historical accounts, Hara Humamay baptised as Juana (Queen Juana), danced with joy while holding the image, and this event is considered the first Sinulog dance.
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The image of the Santo Niño, approximately 12 inches tall, was produced by Flemish artisans based on a vision of Teresa of Ávila, a 16th-century Discalced Carmelite mystic.
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The Santo Niño image has since become a central figure in Filipino Catholicism and is widely venerated as miraculous by Filipino Catholics. It is permanently enshrined in the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City, where it continues to be a focal point of devotion and celebration, especially during the annual Sinulog Festival.
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Sinulog Festival of Cebu City: A Celebration of Faith and Culture