HOLY MASS. Agustinian Friar, Fr. Pacifico Nohara Jr. prays during a Holy Mass at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu Pilgrim Center. (Photo courtesy of Christine Briones/Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño Media Center)
CEBU CITY - Devotees of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu who could not join in person the nine-day novena masses and the fiesta day concelebrated masses need not worry anymore as the Augustinian friars on Monday announced they will use the social media platform for this year’s celebration.
Father Pacifico Nohara Jr. said there will be four holy masses of the day at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño Pilgrim Center that will go live over Facebook.
Starting Jan. 10 up to the Jan. 20 fiesta day, the Basilica’s media unit will have a Facebook live coverage on two morning masses (7 a.m. and 10 a.m.), one holy mass in the afternoon (4 p.m.), and another in the evening (7 p.m.).
“Devotees of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu from all over the country and abroad may join in the celebration by monitoring our four daily masses using their smartphones,” Fr. Nohara told the Philippine News Agency.
“The sick and those who are living in the far-flung areas who could not come in person at the Basilica may hear the novena masses through Facebook,” he added.
Netizens are also expected to make live coverages of different events in line with the celebration, Nohara said.
Activities which the crowd may share on social media are the "Walk with Jesus" on Jan. 10, the "Walk with Mary" on Jan. 18, the Traslacion on the same day, the fluvial procession and the solemn foot procession on the “vesperas” on Saturday, January 19.
Meanwhile, the National Telecommunications Commission in Central Visayas (NTC-7) has considered the recommendation of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to shut down the signal in Cebu City and neighboring cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay during the solemn procession in the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 19 and on Fiesta Señor on Sunday, January 20.
NTC-7 Regional Director Engineer Jesus Laureno said his office has affirmatively recommended to NTC central office in Manila the two-day signal shutdown.
Laureno assured CCPO Director Royina Garma the order from NTC will come out before the Fiesta Señor celebration.
Augustinian friar, Fr. Aladdin Luzon, chairperson of the Cluster on Safety, Security, Peace and Order of the Basilica, said their office is confident that the Philippine National Police in Central Visayas can handle the over-all peace and order situation in this city for this year’s Sinulog festivity.
The Basilica website also cited the assurance of the traffic groups from Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu during the Jan. 18 Traslacion.
Also, the city government is ready to handle the influx of local and foreign tourists visiting this city in time with the Sinulog celebration, said Councilor Dave Tumulak.
The city government has prepared nightly activities in two locations -- in the downtown Plaza Independencia and the Fuente Osmeña circle in the uptown area.
It also organized an 11-day Balik Cebu Booth at Level 1 of Ayala Center Cebu, featuring Cebu and the Cebuano cultures starting this Wednesday, Jan. 9 up to the 19th.
Along with booths are the exhibits of different images and icons of the Holy Child which shall be in the same mall for a 12-day Sto. Niño Exhibit on Jan. 9-20.
The Department of Trade and Industry is also organizing a Sinulog Trade Fair on Thursday, Jan. 10 at SM City Cebu. (PNA)
