Santo Niño de Tondo - The True King of Tondo

Santo Niño de Tondo

The district of Tondo, Manila, once the center of the ancient Pre-Hispanic Kingdom of Manila and later to be known, notoriously, as the poverty stricken district as portrayed in the media, either in film, print and television (in television series and even in the news) which is very contrary to what the district really is in real life and the most populated district in Manila, is known to have one of the most valuable treasure and their beloved King - the venerable image of Señor Santo Niño de Tondo, the most beloved and longest reigning heir of the ancient kingdom of Raja Lakandula.

The image of Santo Niño de Tondo is one of the most celebrated images of the Child Jesus in the Philippines and considered as the second oldest venerated image of the Child Jesus in the Philippines, next to Santo Niño de Cebu. His church is also known as one of the most visited in the country - considering the large populace of Tondo aside from pilgrims from other parts of Manila and around the country who flock the church to venerate the King of Tondo.

The Image

The well loved image of Santo Niño de Tondo is presented as a Royal Ruler sporting a crown, a scepter and the globus cruciger standing in a tall peaña (base or platform of the image). The image of the Santo Niño de Tondo is a de vestir image where the image is vested with richly embroidered vestments or oftentimes his signature silver plancha y capa. The head, hands and feet of the image is that of carefully carved ivory and the face of the Child Jesus has a peculiar feature of showing his teeth as if he is smiling to the beholder. The image has its own set of jewels from crowns, scepters, the globus cruciger, atochas (the jewel in the forehead of the image which signifies his divinity) and boots.

Another distinction of the image is the hairdo that the image sport. The image sport a wavy coiffed hairdo which is somehow reminiscent of the Renaissance period where such hairstyle is commonly seen which somehow added to the Royal stature the image implies.

The origin of the image

There were few records about the arrival of the image which resulted to the variety of stories on how he arrived in Tondo. It is widely believed that the image of the Sto. Niño de Tondo was brought in the Philippines by a wealthy merchant from Acapulco, Mexico. Another version of the origin is that it is found by a soldier in the recovered items that are looted from Cebu.

Both accounts however reconcile that the image was entrusted to the Archbishop of Manila for safekeeping. The image was later  turned over in a church built by the Augustinians in Tondo, Manila, the former seat of the ancient Kingdom of Raja Lakandula, for public veneration and patronage It has been enshrined in that church since 1572.

The Home of the King

Sto. Niño de Tondo Parish

In the heart of Tondo Manila lies a church that has been a part of Filipino's life from generations to generations.  The Tondo Church is one of the earliest churches established by the Spanish friars in Luzon and was recognized as a Provincial Chapter on May 3, 1572 and Fray. Alonzo Alvarado, OSA was the first minister who directed the church.  It was reconstructed again after being affected by an earthquake  June 3, 1863 and was rebuilt for the third time by Fr. Manuel Diez Gonzalez.

The restoration was completed by Fr. Casimiro Herrero minister of Tondo from 1874 to 1880. He must have followed the plans of architect Luciano Oliver designed in 1873. Steel framing was used for the media naranja dome and iron sheets for the roofing, the first time these materials were used in the country.

What's interesting about this is that after all the constructions and reconstructions adding to the fact that Tondo is in an impoverished area,the present church has one main central nave and two aisle linked by solid columns. It measures 65 meters long, 22 meters wide, and 17 meters high. The Ionic pilasters and massive buttresses supporting the discordant domes of the bell towers are reminiscent of the Neo-Classical style, typical for its scanty ornamentation. In 1997, aside from major repairs, Carillon bells were installed under the term of Msgr. Emmanuel Sunga as Parish Priest.

On February 5, 2019, the Parish of Santo Nino de Tondo was elevated as the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Santo Nino de Tondo which the Archdiocese of Manila recognizes the spiritual, historical and cultural importance of the shrine and the devotion to the Santo  Nino de Tondo within and outside the archdiocese.

Miracles

Since the enthronement of the image, several miracles were reported through the intercession of the Child from helping the people from their needs, miraculous cures, shielding the town from different calamities among others that the people have grown to love and give their affection to their beloved Boy-King who chose to live and reign in their midst.

It is said that during the Spanish-American war, the Tondo church was used by the American forces as their quarters. Within 24 hours, all the US troops quartered in the church contacted smallpox and the contingent force had to leave the church premises.

In 1943, the church was also converted by the Japanese troops into their military headquarters. Strangely, Sounds of children crying from nowhere bothered the Japanese troops too much that they abandoned the church.

When the liberation of Manila took place in February 1945, the Japanese set the church on fire. Msgr. Jose. Jovellanos, the parish priest evacuated the Church taking with him the image of the Sto. Niño. The Tondo devotees who were following the image in safety did not suffer so much as a scratch amidst the crossfire of bullets and mortal shells.”

President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos returning the image
to Tondo Church

The Theft of the image

In July 14, 1972, the image of the Santo Niño de Tondo was sacrilegiously stolen from his altar. Fr. Lorenzo Egos, who suggested that the thieves hid in the church when the doors were bolted at 8 p.m. the night before. He suspected someone who had been attending Mass days before and described this character to the police.  When the image was stolen, one of the most unforgettable calamities hit the country - Typhoon Gloring hit the majority of Luzon and Metro Manila and it rained for days unceasingly that killed millions of people and properties destroyed. This catastrophy led the majority of Filipinos believed that this was the result of the theft of the miraculous image of Santo Niño de Tondo.

Manila’s Finest engaged their informants and three days later a suspect was arrested. Reynio Rivera, 24 years old and jobless, named three companions in the theft. Parts of the image were recovered in separate houses on Balagtas Street, Tondo: the wooden body dumped in a canal near Rivera’s house, the left arm, a silver scepter, a golden cross, and a bronze crown. These parts were presented to Mrs. Marcos in Malacañang by Dr. Eleuterio Pascual, the art gallery owner, then the famous Santo sculptor Maximo Vicente, was called in to put everything together. A thanksgiving Mass was held in Malacañang, with President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife then First Lady Imelda Marcos while 2,000 impatient devotees waited outside to escort their patron back to Tondo church on. It was described as an emotional moment. When the image was returned to his home, the typhoon suddenly left the country.

The old Fluvial Procession in honor of Santo Niño de Tondo

The Festive Feast of the Santo Niño de Tondo

The feast day of Sto. Niño in Tondo is celebrated every third Sunday of January. The fiesta in Tondo has the biggest participation in Manila, not only because Tondo is the most populous district in the city and poorest but perhaps because of the many anecdotes connected with the Sto. Niño of Tondo.

According to Philippine Historical Commission, the people of Tondo celebrated the feast day with a fluvial procession that “attracted thousands of visitors.” Tondo’s terrain at that time consisted of waterways and tributaries which were connected to Manila Bay, a probable reason why the present stone church of Tondo was constructed on elevated ground (several meters above sea level) to prevent sea waters from inundating the Church.

The Lakbayaw Festival

In 1983, however, Bishop Amado H. Paulino, then the priest, ordered a stop to the fluvial parade due to rapid urbanization has made the fluvial procession of Tondo a thing of the past as many of the waterways have either been reclaimed or have small canals and esteros, yet regardless, residents still awaits the feast day of Sto. Niño with anticipation and excitement.

As early as the first week of January, traditional fairs are set up along Tondo’s side streets, most of the time occupying even half of the two-way traffic lanes. Hanging over practically all streets are banderitas (buntings) which residents have painstakingly cut, trimmed, and pieced together months earlier. In some streets, where the procession is expected to pass the banderitas are more intricately made and more meticulously laid-out in-between  houses complete with bamboo archways and steamers proclaiming “Viva Señor Sto. Niño!”

The Solemn Procession of the Santo Niño

The Festival of the Sto. Nino de Tondo begins with a Nine day novena and on the Ninth day of the novena, the Lakbayaw Festival took place where devotees and the people of Tondo joyfullly danced through the streets of Tondo and an enormous number of Santo Niño images are paraded throughout the day.

The following day, the Solemn Procession on the Actual Feast Day of the Santo Niño, which is the Third Sunday of January, starts at 4:00 in the morning and it passes through all major streets of Tondo and thousands of devotees walk in the wee hours in the morning to accompany their beloved King to his dominion to bless their households and their businesses and guidance to their everyday lives.

Santo Niño de Tondo

The Tondo faithful also celebrate the anniversary of the return of their King every Second of August. The Vicaria of the image, more popularly known as "Chapa" (due to the popular belief that the image's metal vestments were made from metal accessories that policemen wear on their shoulders which is called "Chapa"), visits a Parish in the Archdiocese of Manila for public veneration and on August 2, the people embark on a procession going back to Tondo Church to relive the memory of the return of the image to his beloved throne.

The devotion to the Santo Niño de Tondo is proven to be strong and enduring with the Manileños unwavering devotion to their beloved King and this became part of thier identity.  The childlike confidence to Our Lord, in a form of his childhood is evidently seen in every devotee, regardless of the social strata they belong to, who come to the home of their beloved King to ask for his blessing and his guidance.

All Hail to the King of Tondo! Ang Tunay na Hari ng Tondo!