Home 
At least one million devotees sang and prayed the rosary during the solemn foot procession on the eve of the Feast Day of the Sto. Niño, according to Cebu City police estimates yesterday.
The procession, which weaved its way through the major thoroughfares of the city including P. del Rosario street and M.J. Cuenco avenue, was crowded with at least 20 devotees abreast in most parts of the seven-kilometer route, the longest stretch ever for the annual prayer walk. More people spilled out into the streets, slowing it down.
Catholic faithful were able to breathe easier and move faster as the procession passed through the wider MJ Avenue.
The respite was brief, however, as more people joined and slowed down the trail at T. Padilla, when more people joined and the procession again slowed to a crawl.
Msgr. Cristobal Garcia, Archdiocesan Commission on worship chairman, led the prayer of the rosary at the Basilca del Sto. Niño Pilgrim Center.
The rosary was recited in different languages including Chinese and Spanish.
Before the procession, prominent devotees including Cebu 1st Dist. Rep. Eddie Gullas and Cebu North Dist. Rep. Raul del Mar and Presidential Management Staff Chief Cerge Remonde together with nuns and priests were allowed to kiss and touch the Sto. Nino image.
The image was brought out of the church at 1:54 p.m. by Basilica del Sto. Niño rector Fr. Rodolfo Bugna, OSA and Auxiliary Bishop Julito Cortes. He was a proxy for Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal to fetch the Sto. Niño image from inside the church, place it inside the glass case on top of the carosa and await the return of the procession.
Despite a ban on firecrackers, small firecrackers exploded near Sun Gold furniture store at Borromeo Street.
The Santo Niño’s carosa was stalled in two areas--along Borromeo street where it took the contingent 30 minutes to slowly make it through narrow Magallanes and Borromeo Streets and through Urdaneta Street beside the Patria building.
People pushed and shoved to get near the Santo Niño carosa but the mood at the procession remained solemn.
They waved and shouted “Viva Pit Senyor!” while others released confettie, rose petals and balloons tied with petitions written in pieces of paper.
A security cordon of students and guards was broken twice by the surging crowd.
A three-minute fireworks display greeted the Sto. Niño image as it returned to the Basilica at 5:22 p.m.
Church bells pealed and baloons were released. The tail end of the procession reached the church at 6 p.m.
In his sermon, Msgr. Anton del Rosario said the dancing is meant to “strengthen the prayers and faith” of Catholic believers. He voiced hope that this would help heal and reconcile others in a spirit of forgiveness. With Correspondents Jully Venus Cuizon and Chito Aragon
