The beautiful church facade all lighted up for the occassion...
Devotees with their Sto. Nino all waiting to be drenched in Holy Water
A mother's love...a town's devotion...
Jesus, unto Thee I flee,
Through Thy Mother praying Thee
In my need to succor me.
Truly, I believe of Thee
God Thou art with strength to shield me;
Full of trust, I hope of Thee
Thou Thy grace wilt give to me.
All my heart I give to Thee,
Therefore, do my sins repent me;
From them breaking, I beseech Thee,
Jesus, from their bonds to free me.
Firm my purpose is to mend me;
Never more will I offend Thee.
Wholly unto Thee I give me,
Patiently to suffer for Thee,
Thee to serve eternally.
And my neighbor like to me
I will love for love of Thee.
Little Jesus, I beseech Thee,
In my need to succor me,
That with Joseph and Mary
And the angels, I may Thee
Once enjoy eternally. Amen.
Along the procession route, there are houses with their Sto. Nino's brought out, placed on make-shift altars...like this one, Sto. Nino de Atocha
Another home altar...this time around shared by neighbors...
San Miguel Parish Sto. Nino Procession, blessing and incensing of the images
Sa simbahan din ang tuloy
The procession route took, if my calculations were right, about an hour. I barely even had time to rest in between start and end...
The Holy Family...a vintage Belen image first time to brought out in procession
Dearest Jesus, tenderly loving us, Your greatest joy is to dwell among us and to bestow Your blessing upon us. Though I am not worthy that You should behold me with love, I feel myself drawn to You, O dear Infant Jesus, because You gladly pardon me and exercise Your almighty power over me. So many who turned with confidence to You have received graces and had their petitions granted. Behold me,in spirit I kneel before Your miraculous image on Your altar in Prague, and lay open my heart to You, with its prayers, petitions and hopes. Especially (mention your intentions here)... I enclose in Your loving Heart. Govern me and do with me and mine according to Your holy Will, for I know that in Your Divine wisdom and love You will ordain everything for the best. Almighty gracious Infant Jesus, do not withdraw Your hand from us, but protect and bless us forever. I pray You, sweetest Infant, in the name of Your Blessed Mother Mary who cared for You with such tenderness, and by the great reverence with which St. Joseph carried You in his arms, comfort me and make me happy that I may bless and thank You forever from all my heart. Amen
More Prusisyon shots...
My Uncle's Sto. Nino, the adventure was worth it
The Church-enthroned image
The carroza was filled with different type of orchids, total budget for the carroza reached Php 60,000. Wow!
The Festejada-Image, I assume because it is always the last one...
A "manang" using a megaphone was repeatedly telling devotees not to crowd the carroza and to take care not to break any of the light posts on the carroza (like what happened last year)...but you can't stop the crowd. I think who should change is the owner, if the decoration is causing too much stress, too much damage (after the procession) and causing people to loose their control, then change the carroza decoration. Ever since I've been watching Marilao's procession, the owner insists on hanging various items such as these to decorate the light posts. And as you can see in the pictures below, what some do is to pull down the branches just to get those hanging lanterns, causing tension to the light posts and if more than one person is doing the same thing, what do you expect to happen next? The owner has more control over the decorations on the carroza than over the people. I mean, yes, you expect that they take care of the carroza, that's not wrong...it is right and just; but if year after year this proves difficult to do, what do you do? I don't think a constant reminder over the megaphone will do the trick...I for one just found it irritating...anyway, moving on...I don't want to end my article in a sour note...
Divine Child Jesus, we believe in You; We adore You; and we love You; have mercy on us, sinners.
We've come to this Temple in response to your love. We've come in response to your mercy and grace. We are here because You invited us to come before You and to pour out the cares of our hearts to You since You deeply care for each of us.
We remember Your words to the disciples: Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened. Trusting in your infinite goodness and trusting that You always keep your promise, we now ask this intention which we pray in the silence of our hearts...
Thank you, Divine Child Jesus, for listening attentively to our prayers all the time. We hope that You will ask this before Our Heavenly Father. And, if what we ask for may not be good for our salvation and sanctification, we trust that you will grant us instead what we truly need, so that one day we may be with You for all eternity enjoying that ultimate happiness of Heaven.
Divine Child Jesus, bless and protect us.
Divine Child Jesus, bless and lead us.
Divine Child Jesus, bless and provide for us.
All this we ask through the intercession of your Holy Mother, Mary, and in Your powerful and Most Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.
After the Procession
A dark skinned Sto. Nino; Rightmost picture, cymbidium from the carroza of the church-enthroned image
My uncle's sto nino up close (if you haven't read my adventure, go to this link, In the Nick of Time)
We made it Sto Nino! Viva!
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