Santo Niño de Malitbog - The Returning King of Malitbog, Southern Leyte
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| Santo Niño de Malitbog of Southern Leyte |
Philippine social media went on a flurry with a social media post of the recovery of the centuries old venerated image of Santo Niño de Malitbog, venerated in the Parish under his Patronage in Malitbog, Southern Leyte. The news made headlines in the province and the Philippine Catholic Church since the preparations for the 500th anniversary of the Catholic faith in the Philippines is on its way despite the ongoing pandemic the world is experiencing. So how did this happened and what lead to the recovery of the image. Let us have a look on the history of the image of Santo Niño de Malitbog, it's surrounding devotion, the theft and recovery.
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| Santo Niño de Malitbog |
The venerated image of Santo Niño de Cebu is a wooden image of the Child Jesus patterned after the famed image of Santo Niño de Cebu from its petite size, curly hair, big eyes, cute smile, plump cheeks, His right hand is in a manner of blessing and a scepter hanging on in, His left hand is holding a globus cruciger, a symbol of power over his dominion. The image stands on a simple yet beautifully decorated base. The image wears also similar to that of Santo Niño de Cebu: a white robe, a red cape, a set of jewels, a crown among others. The carving of the image shows that it was carved by local artisans patterned the famed Santo Niño de Cebu.
History
The origin of the devotion to Santo Niño de Malitbog began with the establishment of the parish of Malitbog on April 11, 1850 when the town of Malitbog was established upon the issuance of the decree of the Governor General of the Philippines on December 14, 1849. The Augustinian Friars was assigned to the administration of the parish until the Archdiocese of Cebu took over its administration in 1910 until it was transferred to the Diocese of Calbayog in 1937 then later to the Archdiocese of Palo in 1966 then currently the Diocese of Maasin. The parish underwent changes over the course of centuries and a school was later established.
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| The replica of Sto. Niño de Malitbog currently enshrined at the Sto. Niño Parish in Malitbog, Southern Leyte |
Miracles
Numerous miracles were reported through the help of the Holy Child of Malitbog from numerous miraculous cures, good harvest, and most notably the disguises of the Holy Child as a wandering child that would roam around the streets of Malitbog either playing with children or reminding priests for Holy Mass to be offered.
The theft of the image
The devotion to the Santo Niño de Malitbog will be challenged with a series of unfortunate events. It began in 1988 when some antique Liturgical items and images, including a bell were stolen in the parish. The worse was yet to come when in 1991, a few days after they participated at the Sinulog Festival in Cebu City, 3 or 4 unknown thieves broke the windows of the parish and jealousy stole the image of Balaang bata (as he was called locally) along with the images of San Isidro Labrador and San Roque. The theft of the images, especially that of the Santo Niño was a heavy blow to the people of Malitbog that it is said that businesses were closed which hampered the economic growth of Malitbog and it is said that typhoons became more frequent in the town.
Recovery
After 32 years, a glimmer of hope was dawned when the news of the recovery of the image of Santo Niño de Malitbog spread throughout social media. Mr. Francis Ong, who recovered the image said that on September 18, 2020, he found an article with photos about the missing statue posted in the Facebook page of Traditional Latin Mass Society of Maasin had “uncanny semblance” to an image in his collection. With the help of his friends, Ong was immediately able to get in touch with the Diocese of Maasin, which confirmed that the image under his custody was in fact Malitbog’s lost image. “There was no remorse nor regret but pure joy and happiness for not everyone is made a conduit for the recovery of such spiritual and cultural treasures,” he said. Ong, who works as a marketing professional for a pharmaceutical company, said he acquired the image only in November 2019 because its last owner passed away.
The image went on a restoration process before it was set to return to his home in Southern Leyte, in line with the celebration of the 500th year of the Christianization of the Philippines in 2021. A few days after it's restoration, the image made its first public appearance at the Chapel of Santo Niño de Leyte in Quezon City for a special Mass and veneration of the image.
The time of his homecoming finally arrived. On November 26, 2020, the image of Santo Niño de Malitbog, along with the images of Santo Niño de las Mercedes of Samar (also went on a restoration process) and the newly commissioned Santo Niño de Limasawa (commissioned by the Diocese of Maasin) visited San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila for a send off blessing from the Augustinian Friars, who once administered some provinces of Samar and Leyte during the Spanish regime. A few hours later, the three Santo Niño images visited Santo Niño de Pandacan Parish in Pandacan, Manila, which was still on recovery and rebuilding process from the devastating fire that burned the parish and the centuries old original image of Santo Niño de Pandacan on July 10, 2020, to give comfort and hope to the people of Pandacan, Manila amidst the tragic event and to have the chance to venerate the three Niños before heading to Visayas.
On November 28, 2020, the images of Santo Niño de Malitbog and Santo Niño de Limasawa headed to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumpiton - the See of the Diocese of Massin where Malitbog was part of its jurisdiction - for the formal turnover the image to the Diocese. After the formal turnover, the image of Santo Niño de Malitbog went on a motorcade touring around the streets of Southern Leyte and the whole province greeted him with cheers, tears, lively music along the way until it reached his home parish in Malitbog, Southern Leyte. When the image finally arrived to this home parish, the atmosphere was both euphoric and emotional when the parishioners and devotees rejoiced with tears with the return of their beloved "Balaang Bata". After the welcome mass, the people of Malitbog later offered a Sinulog dance to welcome back their beloved patron and the local government of Malitbog honored Mr. Ong as their adoptive son. The next morning, after almost thirty years, the image of Santo Niño de Malitbog was enthroned to his high altar amidst the rejoicing of the people and his devotees. It is from here that He will once again guide and protect his realm and be once again a witness to the development and history of Malitbog, Southern Leyte.
Aftermath
We see here how social media became a helpful tool in recovering stolen venerated images over the past years like those of the Nuestra Señora de Triunfo of Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental, Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa of Betis, Pampaga, Santo Niño de Romblon of Romblon, Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Alaminos of Alaminos, Laguna and the soon to be crowned Nuestra Señora de la Merced of Matatalaib, Tarlac City, Tarlac.
The theft of the image
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| The recovered image of Sto. Niño de Malitbog |
A replica of the Santo Niño was commissioned and its currently enthroned in the parish for veneration. The town on the other hand slowly recovered from its economic crises yet they are still hoping that the image would come home to his chosen abode. Interestingly, the image of the Santo Niño de Malitbog made it to the pages of the famed coffee table book "Santo Niño - The Holy Child Devotion in the Philippines".
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| The restored image of Sto Niño de Malitbog |
After 32 years, a glimmer of hope was dawned when the news of the recovery of the image of Santo Niño de Malitbog spread throughout social media. Mr. Francis Ong, who recovered the image said that on September 18, 2020, he found an article with photos about the missing statue posted in the Facebook page of Traditional Latin Mass Society of Maasin had “uncanny semblance” to an image in his collection. With the help of his friends, Ong was immediately able to get in touch with the Diocese of Maasin, which confirmed that the image under his custody was in fact Malitbog’s lost image. “There was no remorse nor regret but pure joy and happiness for not everyone is made a conduit for the recovery of such spiritual and cultural treasures,” he said. Ong, who works as a marketing professional for a pharmaceutical company, said he acquired the image only in November 2019 because its last owner passed away.
The image went on a restoration process before it was set to return to his home in Southern Leyte, in line with the celebration of the 500th year of the Christianization of the Philippines in 2021. A few days after it's restoration, the image made its first public appearance at the Chapel of Santo Niño de Leyte in Quezon City for a special Mass and veneration of the image.
The much awaited homecoming
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| The arrival of Santo Niño de Malitbog in his home parish in Southern Leyte |
The next day November 27, 2020 - Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, three Niños, accompanied by the restoration team and Mr. Francis Ong, they arrived first to Samar province to enthrone the image of Santo Niño de las Mercedes to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy in Brgy. Mercedes, Catbalogan, Samar and later visited the famed Church of Santo Niño de Tacloban in Tacloban, Leyte and stayed their for a vigil
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| The solemn welcome of Santo Niño de Malitbog to his parish in Southern Leyte |
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| Santo Niño de Malitbog |
We see here how social media became a helpful tool in recovering stolen venerated images over the past years like those of the Nuestra Señora de Triunfo of Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental, Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa of Betis, Pampaga, Santo Niño de Romblon of Romblon, Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Alaminos of Alaminos, Laguna and the soon to be crowned Nuestra Señora de la Merced of Matatalaib, Tarlac City, Tarlac.
The 1970's up the 1990's was a strange time in the Philippine Church heritage history where the theft of numorous venerated images which was so rampant that some are still missing as of this writing.
The story of the recovery of the image of Santo Niño de Malitbog gives us a picture of hope in these dark times that we are living in with the pandemic that is still plaguing the country at present and the socio political division that the country is experiencing at this point in time. Let us ask the help of the Santo Niño to help us in our way to recovery and unity, most especially the grace of perseverance in our faith as we celebrate it's 500th year in the country.
References:
Artigas, Manuel, Reseña de la Provincia de Leyte (1522 - 1914), translated by Borrinaga, Rnaldo and Kobak, Cantius, New Day Publisher, 2006.
Breve Reseña de lo que due y de la que es la Diocese de Cebu en las Islas Filipinas, 1866, translated by Pace, Azucena, Cebu City, University of San Carlos Press, 2014.
Chong, Joaquin, Southern Leyte: Then and Now, Maasin City, Southern Leyte: Southern Leyte Provincial Government, 1996.
Historical Review of the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos (1867 - 1917), Cebu City, Seminario Mayor de San Carlos, 1917.
Holy Child Parish, Malitbog, Southern Leyte (Souvenir Program), Santo Niño Parish, Malitbog, Southern Leyte, 2020.
Manlunas, Phytes Vilamor, Malitbog (Unpublished manuscript), 2020.
Silver Anniversary Diocese of Maasin, Maasin City, Southern Leyte: Diocese of Maasin, 1993.
Sorete, Ryan Christopher, Stolen Sto. Niño image from S. Leyte church found after 32 years, September 19, 2020, Retrieved from https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/stolen-sto-nino-image-from-s-leyte-church-found-after-32-years/
Interview:
Manlunas, Phytes Vilamor
Ong, Francis
The story of the recovery of the image of Santo Niño de Malitbog gives us a picture of hope in these dark times that we are living in with the pandemic that is still plaguing the country at present and the socio political division that the country is experiencing at this point in time. Let us ask the help of the Santo Niño to help us in our way to recovery and unity, most especially the grace of perseverance in our faith as we celebrate it's 500th year in the country.
References:
Artigas, Manuel, Reseña de la Provincia de Leyte (1522 - 1914), translated by Borrinaga, Rnaldo and Kobak, Cantius, New Day Publisher, 2006.
Breve Reseña de lo que due y de la que es la Diocese de Cebu en las Islas Filipinas, 1866, translated by Pace, Azucena, Cebu City, University of San Carlos Press, 2014.
Chong, Joaquin, Southern Leyte: Then and Now, Maasin City, Southern Leyte: Southern Leyte Provincial Government, 1996.
Historical Review of the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos (1867 - 1917), Cebu City, Seminario Mayor de San Carlos, 1917.
Holy Child Parish, Malitbog, Southern Leyte (Souvenir Program), Santo Niño Parish, Malitbog, Southern Leyte, 2020.
Manlunas, Phytes Vilamor, Malitbog (Unpublished manuscript), 2020.
Silver Anniversary Diocese of Maasin, Maasin City, Southern Leyte: Diocese of Maasin, 1993.
Sorete, Ryan Christopher, Stolen Sto. Niño image from S. Leyte church found after 32 years, September 19, 2020, Retrieved from https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/stolen-sto-nino-image-from-s-leyte-church-found-after-32-years/
Interview:
Manlunas, Phytes Vilamor
Ong, Francis
Santo Niño Parish Pastoral Council
Photographs:
Maceo, Jayson
Photographs:
Maceo, Jayson
Santo Niño de Malitbog Parish Facebook page
Kapuso mo, Jessica Soho Facebook page
Ong, Francis
Special thanks to Mr. Phytes Vilamor Manlunas, Mr. Francis Ong and to the Santo Niño Parish, Malitbog, Southern Leyte for the documents, narrative and photographs used for this blog post.
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Ong, Francis
Special thanks to Mr. Phytes Vilamor Manlunas, Mr. Francis Ong and to the Santo Niño Parish, Malitbog, Southern Leyte for the documents, narrative and photographs used for this blog post.
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