The Santo Niño de Cebú (Cebuano: Balaang Bata sa Sugbo, Filipino: Ang Banal na Sanggol ng Cebu, Spanish: Santo Niño de Cebú, Central Bicolano: Santo Nino kan Cebu) is a Roman Catholic title of the Child Jesus associated with a religious image of the Christ Child widely venerated as miraculous by Filipino Catholic. It is the oldest Catholic relic in the Philippines,originally a gift from explorer Ferdinand Magellan to Rajah Humabon and his chief consort on account of their baptism in 1521.
| Holy Child of Cebu Santo Niño sa Sugbo, Santo Niño de Cebú, Ang Banal na Sanggol ng Cebu | |
|---|---|
| Original image of Señor Santo Niño de Cebú | |
| Location | Cebu, Philippines |
| Date | 21 April 1521 |
| Witness | Ferdinand Magellan Antonio Pigafetta Rajah Humabon |
| Type | Wooden statue |
| Holy See approval | Pope Innocent XIII Pope Paul VI Pope John Paul II Pope Francis |
| Shrine | Basilica Minore del Santo Niño |
| Attributes | Crown, sceptre, globus cruciger, dark skin, maroon mantle |
The dark wood statue measures approximately twelve inches tall, and carved in the Flemish style. It depicts the Child Jesus with a serene countenance, in the attitude and dress of a Spanish monarch.[ The statue bears imperial regalia including a gold crown, globus cruciger, and various sceptres, wears fine vestments, and possesses jewellery mostly offered by devotees over several centuries.
Pope Paul VI granted a Canonical Coronation of the statue on 28 April 1965 and later raised its shrine to the status of Minor Basilica on 2 May 1965 via his Papal bull Cubanula Religionis to mark the 4th Centenary of Christianity in the Philippine Islands .[
The image is replicated in various parts of the country with different titles and is one of the most beloved and recognizable Filipino cultural icons. The annual dancing feast of Sinulog is held every January on the third Sunday in its honor. Today, the original image is permanently encased behind bulletproof glass inside its chapel within the Minor Basilica del Santo Niño.
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