Sinulog Cebu - Religious and Colorful Festival Event in Cebu, Philippines - Viva Pit Senior!

Sinulog Festival is the famous yearly event of which all regions in the Philippines are preparing for the competition event participation held on the third Sunday of January.

Sinulog is a Visayan word which means Sulog ( river flow), this local dance follows the rythm of the river flow which has been practiced by the pagan natives as an enduring expression of prayers uniting the pagan years and Christianity.

Regions in all parts of the Philippines are represented with a dance troupe who are well trained for several months to dance their way in the street procession. They are wearing native colorful dresses as they show different dance interpretations of the religious ritual while a dancer is carrying a wooden statue of the Santo Niño, the little Jesus, the Saint of Cebu.

The dance procession is offered to the miraculous Holy Child, Santo Niño, thanking him for all the blessings people recieved and a prayer for help and guidance.

The ritual last for 9 days. Usually at the 8th day is the Fluvial Procession, a water parade were many decorated boats participate waiting for the boat in which the Santo Niño is carried with a beautiful colorful decorated boat with flowers and candles.

The Pontifical Mass is held on the 9th day by the Cardinal with some bishops of Cebu before the start of the Grand Parade.

The Sinulog Grand Parade ends at the Basilica followed by the enacment of Cebu's Christianization.

In 1521, Magellan reached the Philippines and the first Europeans arrived with three ships on 16 March on the island Homonhon. On 7 April 1521 he reached the island of Cebu. Cebu was the starting point for the turning point in the history of the Philippines and the beginning of Christianity in South-East Asia. Magellan was able to convert the local ruler Raja Humabon, his family and hundreds of Filipinos to Christianity and baptized. Magellan gave the Santo Niño as baptismal gift to Queen Juana, wife of Rajah Humabon.

On 27 April 1521 Magellan with about 50 - 60 soldiers wanted to claim the tenure of the Spaniards on Mactan. A cross was planted in the shore of Cebu to claim Philippines under the King of Spain. However, there was an unrelenting struggle.

Magellan was hit on the leg by an arrow and a spear on the head. He has been beheaded by Lapu-Lapu ( Filipino Hero ) with kampilan, a special Philippine his sword. Many Spaniards managed to escape, many were killed. This victory of the chieftain Lapu-Lapu on the Spaniard went down in history and probably everyFilipino knows today with pride over this episode in the eventful history of the Philippines.