Sinulog

The Sinulog Festival is held every year on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. In 1521, the explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed on the island and gave a statue of Jesus as a child to the queen of Cebu. With that gift, Magellan brought his religion, Catholicism, to the island. The festival celebrates the explorer’s gift as well as Catholicism, which is now the main religion in the Philippines. The festival features several contests, such as a beauty pageant and a photography competition. It’s biggest event, however, is its parade. People dress up in beautiful costumes and walk down the streets dancing alongside huge floats. Throughout the parade, they carry statues of Jesus as a child. They call these statues “Santo Niños”. In some instances, the statues can become objects of worship.