O Holy Child Jesus, who shed Your blessings on whoever invokes Your name, look kindly on us who kneel humbly before Your holy Image, and hear our prayers. We commend to Your mercy the many poor and needy people who trust in Your Divine Heart.
Lay Your all powerful hand upon them and help them in their needs. Lay Your hand upon the sick, to cure them and sanctify their suffering; upon those in distress, to console them; upon sinners, to draw them into the light of your divine grace; upon all those who, stricken with grief and suffering, turn trustingly to You for loving help.
Lay Your hand also upon all of us and give us Your blessing. O little King, grant the treasures of Your divine mercy to all the world, and keep us now and always in the grace of your love!
Lay Your all powerful hand upon them and help them in their needs. Lay Your hand upon the sick, to cure them and sanctify their suffering; upon those in distress, to console them; upon sinners, to draw them into the light of your divine grace; upon all those who, stricken with grief and suffering, turn trustingly to You for loving help.
Lay Your hand also upon all of us and give us Your blessing. O little King, grant the treasures of Your divine mercy to all the world, and keep us now and always in the grace of your love!
Procession Starts
Sto. Nino de Guerrero leading the pack...although technically the Sto. Nino of the Police Force is the first Sto. Nino out the Cathedral...the sacristans follow after.
Prayers and fireworks signal the start of the procession. fortunately by this time the rains have already abated.
Sto. Nino de Kalibo
Image owners hand a small slip of paper where the title of the image is written (all are Sto. Nino's), plus the name of the image owners. It is less organized and structured compared to Intramuros' GMP wherein months before the procesison, the images have been inspected and the annotation finalized
A Kaleidoscope of Sto. Nino's
One by one the images emerged from the Cathedral
Emceeing the event were Fr. Jay Lina and Dez Bautista. Their commentaries are funny, ranging from side comments how another Parish is lucky to have one carroza owner as next Hermano Mayor to correcting carroza's with more than 1 Sto. Nino on board or Sto. Nino's whose accessories does not match the title given to them. They also duly recognize members of their group devoted to the Child Jesus and their families who have consistently participated in the exhibit and procession.
Red, white, yellow and blue are the usual colors of flowers used as decoration. Bottom left, a Sto. Nino dressed like a little prince is inside a glass carriage similar to Cinderella's
Silver and gold fit for a King...Bottom left, a carroza decorated with silver metallic paper/ foil and beads, hand maid by the owner to form ramelletes...
An example of a carroza that needs correcting next year...Upper left Sto. Nino of the Holy Family...without the Parents...so how is that a family? Bottom right, Sto. Nino ng Bagong Pagsilang, the emcees both agreed that this is not a new born child because he is dressed like an older child...I was thinking more of a Sto. Nino for Born Again Christians...Upper right, a carroza decorated using rice crispies or popped rice.
Sto. Nino de Tondo
Sto. Nino's of the rich negosyantes...upper right and bottom left. Sto. Nino's holding symbols of the family business: Fishing and salt-making; Upper left, a princely attired Sto. Nino said to be dressed that way since this is made for royalty and bottom right, Sto. Nino de Atocha, patron of healers
No signs of stopping, more Sto. Nino's exiting the Cathedral...
One of my favorite Sto. Nino's...it still looks like a male child...some Santo Nino's are so beautiful that they look more like a young Mary, a girl than a boy (especially with long hair)...Sto. Nino de Cantor
The Filipino concept of a healthy young boy is a bit chubby as seen is these Sto. Nino's. Upper left, to spice up the night, an ati-atihan group does the unexpected...adding cheer dance throws in their routine making Fr. Jay exclaim..."May insurance ba yan?" The crowd definitely loved the surprise move!
Sto. Nino of Light...that's why the carroza is full of candles
Different styles of roofing for the Sto. Nino; lower-center, the tallest carroza in the bunch, Sto. Nino de Pandacan; lower-right, who needs flowers if you have glow sticks...party party; lower-left, an indigenous take on decorating the carroza, walis and tribal wooden masks...
Creativity to the next level: welded pre-fabricated wrought iron, backdrop for the Sto. Nino--upper right and lower left, Sto. Nino Almirante and the Brown Sto. Nino respectively. Lower-center, Sto. Nino de Baliway decorated beautifully similar to Intramuros' San Jose decor last December 2011, same owner Allan Tengco; Lower-right, a Sto. Nino being crucified...hmmm talk about artistic license and imagination...
Lower-left one of the carroza's that needs to be corrected according to the hosts, "iisa lang ang anak ng Diyos, kaya hindi pwedeng higit sa isa ang Sto. Nino" (although I think it is a bit ironic given the number of Sto. Nino's now present in Malolos, Bayan)...although aesthetically I have been arguing ever since that it does not look good...at least nakahanap ako ng kakampi...
The "lusutan" type carroza of this image is truly beautiful...the hosts cannot contain themselves from praising the carroza and the image as it passed by...funny about the two emcees they are so transparent (but candid about it) that you know which carroza's they personally like..
The Santo Nino's of this year's Hermano Mayores
Towards the end of the procession is a special place reserved for the Sto. Nino's of the year's Hermano Mayores or sponsors...
Sto. Nino de Amor on top of its glass stained carroza...
From L-R: Sto. Nino de Cebu, the owner of Sto. Nino de Amor who went home just to attend the procession from Amsterdam, One of the angels placed on the corners of the carroza of Sto. Nino de Cebu (check out the embroidered details on their vestments); another version of Sto. Nino de Pandacan; Sto. Nino de Amor. Lower-right, check out the angels holding garlands, a beautiful touch to the carroza...
Last two Nino's before the Sto. Nino de Malolos...
The Holy Family exiting the Patio of the Cathedral...
San Jose
O blessed Joseph, faithful guardian of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, protector
of thy chaste spouse, the virgin Mother of God, I choose thee this day to
be my special patron and advocate and I firmly resolve to honor thee all
the days of my life. Therefore I humbly beseech thee to receive me as thy
client, to instruct me in every doubt, to comfort me in every affliction,
to obtain for me and for all the knowledge and love of the Heart of Jesus,
and finally to defend and protect me at the hour of my death. Amen
Reina del Cielo, Queen of Malolos' Processions
Truly breathtaking, Mary emerging from the skies as Queen of Heaven (and Earth)
A closer view, zooming on the face...
The carroza owner, Dez Bautista walking in front of his image...I think he is making a statement, quite commendable, that even in his age and his condition his love for the Child Jesus and for the event he helped found will triumph...
Details of the carroza of Reina del Cielo...a very baroque carroza which now is becoming a popular choice among image owners (aside from the lusutan type carroza).
High heels and procession? The Sto. Nino procession is truly a spectacle for the people of Malolos, and I think this group of youth or "talents" as I heard one bystander say, is cashing on the event...the facial expression of the woman in the lower right corner of the picture sums it all...
The carroza of Reina del Cielo is huge by all standards, I think it is even bigger than the carroza of Pasig Bayan's Spanish-style Dolorosa. Unfortunately some of the streets of Malolos are relatively narrow (with tree branches protruding outside house yards and gardens) and the angels on top of the carroza are taking a lot of beating and scratching...note the missing toes, chipped off paint, missing rays around the Virgen (it used to extend until the top)...there was even one instance during the procession wherein the wings of the angels in front of the Virgen was banging against the the side roof of one of the houses...truly a nightmare if I am the owner...but even if I am not I wish those handling the image will take a better care of the image and the carroza...although I noticed that the metal applique placed on the veil of the image is newly gold plated, I think even the crowns...Upper left, one small generator is used to power a carroza of this size...amazing!
O Child Jesus, I turn to You through Your holy Mother,
I confidently ask You to assist me in my necessity
by Your Divine Power and Mercy.
I love You, O Jesus, with my whole heart and soul.
I offer You my love through a contrite heart,
asking You to forgive all my sins
and begging You to give me grace to amend my life.
I resolve not to offend You again and to bear my aches and pains
as signs of my changed heart.
From now on, may I live for You,
may I love my neighbor as myself
so as to honor You and serve You
more lovingly.
O Jesus, most Tender Child of Mary,
protected by St. Joseph,
listen to my plea and grant my necessity
(here ask your need)
according to the Father's will
and the Glory of Your name.
Amen!
Sto. Nino de Malolos
Emerging from the corner is the beloved Sto. Nino image of Malolos...
A princely representation of the Child Jesus...
Sto. Nino De Malolos
O miraculous Santo Nino! I come before Your sacred Image, moved by love and by hope, and I beseech You to look mercifully into my troubled heart. Let Your own tender Love, always inclined to compassion, mitigate my troubles and alleviate my sufferings. Take from me, if it be Your Will, all unbearable afflictions and let me never surrender to despair. Grant me, Senior Santo Nino, the especial grace I ask from You today in all humility and with a loving trust, and for the sake of Your Sacred infancy hear always my prayers, be generous with Your aid and consolation, that I may praise You, and the Father, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
What I like about this image is it does not look too feminine, unlike other Sto. Nino's which either look like a little girl or dressed in gowns with a long train...
The people of Malolos anticipates the arrival of the Sto. Nino, along the route of the procession are altars with more Sto. Nino's...truly a demonstration of the kind of devotion the people of Malolos have for the child Jesus. After all, without the child Jesus how would Christianity even begin here in the Philippines...
Even if some of the roads are flooded, the procession proceeds...
Another procession comes to a close...Viva Sto. Nino de Malolos!
Amidst the rain, the Sto. Nino procession was held successfully. If I heard it correctly, a total of 145 Sto. Nino carroza's participated, hopefully they were able to set a new world record (what's with Pinoys and world records...hehehe).
