Santo Niño de Batangan - The Black Santo Niño of Batangas

-
Santo Niño de Batangan
In the busy yet historic City of Batangas, there one can find the historic Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception which became one of the most visited pilgrim sites in the province. The Minor Basilica enshrines two of the most important miraculous images of the city: the ivory image of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the City and the famed black image of Santo Niño de Batangan. The dark image of the Child Jesus became one of the most well known focal points of devotion in the City and province of Batangas and enjoyed much devotion for centuries.

The image

The famed black image of Santo Niño de Batangan is that of black image of the Child Jesus which is said to be a replica of the famed image of Santo Niño de Cebu. The image is standing on a base, wears a set of metal vestments: a metal dress and a butterfly-styled cape. The image also sports a crown, holding a globus cruciger and his left hand is in gesture of blessing.

The origins
The original image of Santo Niño
de Batangan


It is said that the image arrived through a galleon voyage going to Manila from Cebu. It is believed that the image was said to be a hundred years old, was a faithful replica of the Santo Niño de Cebu. Old folks say that it was washed ashore from the wreckage of a ship that had caught fire at sea; thus, it is said, its dark color. The image was rescued and it was enthroned in the old church of Batangas City.

Another story would recount that a few months later after  a deaf-mute child who was playing along the shores when he saw the image floating in Calumpang River. It said that during this time that the replica image of Santo Niño de Cebu was said to be missing and it was washed ashore back in Batangas. Several attempts were made to retrieve the image but on each attempt, a storm or a big wave would happen and it was taken as a sign that the image wanted to stay in Batangas City.

The new image of Santo Niño
de Batangan
The tragic fire

The ancient image, which the people fondly called "Santo Niñong Sunog", lived up to it's name when a fire in the convent completely destroyed the image in 1999. A replica was soon made, painted in a blackish burnt color, to take the original's place. The ashes and the original boots of the original image was kept in the new image's base. Despite of what happened, the devotees would refer the new image as the "original" as of the incident did not happened and showed that the incident did not dampen the devotion of the people.

The devotion
The image of Santo Niño de Batangan in procession


The devotion to the dark skinned image of the Child Jesus of Batangas continued to flourish and develop as the years passed by. The Feast of the Santo Niño de Batangan is celebated every January 16, the date which is believed to be the day the image first arrived in Batangas City. The festivities will begin with a fluvial procession of the image that took place every January 7, the first day of the novena.

Pilgrims continued to flock the Basilica Minore to give homage to the Black Child Jesus of the City. Despite of the tragic incident of the original image, the devotion continued which showed the resilience of the Batangueño on everyday hardships and the devotion cemented this trait.

Reference:

Nobena sa Karangalan ng Santo Niño de Batangan, Basilica Minore de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Batangas City, 2000.

Interview:

Patt Laurence Delizo

Photos:

Dela Cruz, Erico
Daquioag, Michael Angelo
Delizo, Patt Laurence

Special thanks to Patt Laurence Delizo +AM+DG+

Comments

  1. Maureen EvangelistaJanuary 14, 2020 at 4:16 AM

    In hard times like these, Santo Nino, Holy Child Jesus, please deliver us!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Chris MillendezAugust 25, 2020 at 8:08 AM

    There is a "Dalit sa Mahal na Poong Santo Nino", which seems to harken back to old days when people depended solely on the seasons for planting. I wonder if anyone has its history as well.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Mga Imaheng Relihiyoso sa Buhay Pagsamba ng mga Katoliko by Rev. Fr. Tim Ofrasio, SJ

-
Image
The icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help that was set to return to her altar in 2019 A talk from Rev. Fr. Tim Ofrasio, SJ for "Visitacion III: Halina sa Marikina" of Esculturas Religiosas en las Filipinas  Transcribed by Mr. Sherwyn Aban Blogger's photo of +Rev. Fr. Tim Ofrasio, SJ during the said event Blogger's note: The night of December 1, 2020 was rocked with a sad news of the passing of Rev. Fr. Timoteo "Tim" Ofrasio, SJ due to COVID-19. Fr. Tim is known as  one of the pillars on Philippine Liturgical Music, a scholar and advocate of celebration of Ad Orientem worship for the Mass (The priest facing the altar at the direction of the east) and Traditional Latin Mass, The Filipino Catholic faithful from different sectors mourned on his passing. I then remembered the talk that he gave to one of the events I attended years ago which it's message is still important and relevant today, especially in the social media age where some non-Catholic extremists...
Read more

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebu - The Patroness of the City and the province of Cebu

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebu Cebu, the cradle of the Catholic faith in the Philippines and center of the devotion to the Child Jesus in the country. The city and its province also have a plethora of devotions, sacred traditions and patrons and their shrines are frequently visited by pilgrims from the province and other parts of the country. One of the most visited shrines in Cebu is the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe in Guadalupe, Cebu where the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the City and the province of Cebu is enshrined. The image The brown skinned image of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Cebu is a de tallado image of the Blessed Virgin Mary carved in a folksy manner. The images sports a crown, a rostrillo around the face,a set of jewelry from necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, etc., carried a scepter and at times, a  rafaga surrounds the image. The image also wears a set of vestments patterned from of the fame...
Read more

Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia de Naga - The Ina of Bicolandia

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia de Naga The Image of the Mother of the Bicolanos - Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia (Complete title: Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de Penafrancia de Naga)- is arguably one of the most popular and most venerated image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the country. The image is a wooden statue of the patterned after the image of Virgen del Santo Rosario de Peña de Francia in Salamanca, Spain and Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia de Manila of Paco. With several miracles that would fill many volumes to its history and the affection that Bicolanos showered to her earned her the title the Principal Patroness and Queen of Bicol Region or simply "Ina" to her devotees, Bicolanos and non Bicolanos alike. It is currently enshrined at the Basilica Minore de Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia in Naga City, Camarines Sur and millions of pilgrims and devotees arrive in Naga City every September for the nine-day  novanario and Fiesta festivities in honor of Our Lad...
Read more

The Resilient devotion and Tradition of the Holy Cross of Wawa

-
Image
The Holy Cross of Wawa In the town of Bocaue, south of Bulacan, famous for its firecracker industry and its iconic festival next to Obando fertility rites, the famous Pagoda (Fluvial Procession) of the Holy Cross of Wawa. Long before the tragedy of 1993, the Pagoda gained throng of devotees for centuries and it is proven to be a resilient devotion when it was revived in 2015. Bocaue's Tree of Life The Holy Cross of Wawa was wooden crucifix without the Corpus that is intricately decorated with silver accesories from rayos (rays at the four corners), three decorative ends of the Cross, a sun, a skull. the Sacred Heart of Jesus and draped with an intricately embroidered cloth. Flonking the flat cross are the images of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist and the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mater Dolorosa which is reminicent of the moment where the Blessed Mother and St. John at the foot of the Cross. Detail of the Holy Cross of Wawa The origin and the miracles  The actua...
Read more

Nuestra Señora de la Regla: Cebu's Gracious Lady

-
Image
Nuestra Señora de la Regla de Cebu Aside to the famed Santo Niño de Cebu, there is another devotion that flourished in the island that pilgrims visit through the centuries succor in times of great need - the felicitous Nuestra Señora De la Regla. The miraculous image is venerated widely by the Cebuanos who believe that the prosperity they enjoy is a blessing achieved through the strength of her maternal intercession. The image is currently venerated at The National Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Regla in Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan Island, Cebu. Features of the image The image of the Virgin is patterned to the original located in Chipiona, Spain. The Our Lady of the Rule image carved from the trunk of dark Philippine hardwood, was installed at the her own altar of Our Lady of the Rule Church in Lapu-Lapu City. The Brown Madonna holds the Infant Jesus in a form of offering and showing - as if she is presenting the Child Jesus to the people and telling them to worship his Son - ...
Read more