was brought to the Philippines during the
Magellan expedition. On March 16, 1521,
Ferdinand Magellan arrived and planted the Christian cross on the shores of
Cebu, claiming the territory for Spain. He presented the image of the Child Jesus to the
Rajah Humabon. Hara Humamay (or Amihan in some versions) was later named Queen Juana after Juana, mother of
Charles I of Spain, and she, along with the rulers of the island and some 800 natives, were
converted to the Christian faith. Some Sinulog dances interpret the historical events surrounding the arrival of the Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Niño to Queen Juana, though other performances may emphasize different aspects of the festival's history and significance. A popular theme among Sinulog dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Niño in her arms and using it to bless her people, who were often afflicted with sickness believed to be caused by demons and other evil spirits.
Arrival of López de Legazpi The expedition led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi bombarded the native settlement when they arrived on April 28, 1565. Inside a burning hut, one of Legazpi's men, Juan Camus, discovered the image of the Santo Niño inside a wooden box beside other idols. When Legazpi arrived, he found that the natives performed dances, which were later associated with the honoring of the Santo Niño. The
Augustinian friars who accompanied López de Legazpi in his expedition built a church on the site where it was found, called San Agustin Church, later renamed to
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.
Today Since the 16th century, there has been great devotion to the Santo Niño in Philippine popular piety, particularly in the
Visayas. Pilgrims from different parts of Cebu and the rest of the country make a yearly journey to the church to take part in the procession and festival. Starting in 1980, the Cebu City government organized the Sinulog Festival and eventually gave incentives also to tribal dance groups. The first Sinulog parade was held on January 20, 1980, organized by Dávid Odilao, then regional director of the
Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, with the Sinulog conceptualized to be a "true Cebuano festival", comparable to the
Dinagyang of
Iloilo and the
Ati-atihan of
Aklan, both of which also celebrate the feast of Santo Niño. The idea caught on, and under the direction of then-Cebu City mayor
Florentino Solon, the project was led by the Cebu City Historical Committee. In the 2000s and early 2010s, law and order during the Sinulog celebration was an issue. Large street parties were celebrated throughout the city, notably along General Maxilom Avenue, also known as Mango Avenue, and the Baseline area along Juana Osmeña Street. Rowdy partygoers often caused trouble, and many were later found sleeping along the city's streets due to intoxication. In 2016, street parties along the Sinulog carousel route were banned in an effort to control most of these disturbances. The Devotee City, a temporary settlement consisting of reused
shipping containers, was launched in 1996 to accommodate devotees traveling from far-flung areas who had no other place to stay in the city. It has usually been located in the open space surrounding the
Compania Maritima building, only a few meters away from the
Magellan's Cross and the
Basilica del Santo Niño. The festival was cancelled in 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, and again in 2022 due to the devastation caused by
Typhoon Rai to Cebu. In 2023, the grand parade was moved to
South Road Properties from the
Cebu City Sports Center, its longtime home. It was moved back in August 2024, after two years. Cebuanos also celebrate Sinulog worldwide in Filipino communities, such as the "Winter Sinulog", held in January in cold countries, and "Summer Sinulog", held in August in
Philadelphia, US. ==Gallery==