Cebu holds fluvial procession for Fiesta Señor celebration

Different vessels participated in Saturday's fluvial procession for the 460th Fiesta Señor celebration in Cebu.

Fr. Jules Van Almieres, media liason officer of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, told GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak that up to 355 vessels sailed the Mactan Channel.

This is more than the 329 vessels that registered earlier.

Almieres said they allowed more vessels to join the fluvial procession for humanitarian reasons.

But even without the additional vessels, there would have been still more vessels participating in the fluvial procession in 2025 compared to 2024.

During the 2024 Fiesta Señor, at least 247 vessels joined the fluvial procession.

 

 

The procession left the Naval Forces Central (NAVFORCEN) port in Mactan Island at 6 a.m. to cross the Mactan Channel to Cebu City where the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño is located.

The fluvial procession brings the Santo Niño back to the Basilica after spending a night in neighboring Mandaue City and in Mactan Island.

The fluvial procession takes place ahead of the Holy Procession on the eve of the Fiesta Señor.

A reenactment of the planting of the Cross, the first baptism, mass, and wedding in Cebu was held at the Santo Niño Pilgrim Center. The activity marks the introduction of Christianity to the Filipinos in 1521. 

 

 

On Friday, a procession of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of Cebu, also took place at Fuente Osmeña. According to GMA Regional TV, around 300,000 joined the "Penitential Walk with Mary."

Devotees brought with them their images of the Blessed Virgin and the Señor Santo Niño (Holy Child Jesus).

The participants lit candles while they prayed the Holy Rosary as they walked to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño along Osmeña Boulevard.

 

 Almieres said they allowed more vessels to join the fluvial procession for humanitarian reasons.

But even without the additional vessels, there would have been still more vessels participating in the fluvial procession in 2025 compared to 2024.

During the 2024 Fiesta Señor, at least 247 vessels joined the fluvial procession.

 The fluvial procession takes place ahead of the Holy Procession on the eve of the Fiesta Señor.

NEW VESSEL

The ship that served as official galleon which carried the image of the Señor Santo Niño (Holy Child Jesus) for the fluvial (seaborne) procession on Saturday, January 18, 2025, is a newly built ship named M/V Santo Niño-Cebu.

The ship arrived at the port of Cebu City on January 13, 2025, and a blessing was set the following day.

M/V Santo Niño-Cebu is a passenger vessel set to sail commercially in March 2025.

The ship can accommodate at least 458 passengers, but for the fluvial (seaborne) procession only 400 passengers are allowed on board the galleon including Augustinian priests and Archdiocese of Cebu priests.

—with reports from GMA Regional TV/ VAL/RF, GMA Integrated News