Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, will lead the official launching of the quincentennial celebration of the arrival of the miraculous image of Sto. Niño in Cebu on November 13, 2019.

The launching will be held at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu (BMSN) church that will start with a conference at 3:00 p.m. and will be followed by a holy mass to be presided by the Papal Nuncio.

One of the highlights of the event is the unveiling of the official logo of the 500^th anniversary of the arrival of the image of Sto. Niño de Cebu.

The Augustinian-led activity coincides with the country’s fifth centenary celebration of the introduction of Christianity.

In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan gave a gift, an image of the Holy Child Jesus, to the newly baptized queen of Cebu.

The celebration honors to remember how Jesus Christ was introduced through the image and how the devotion to the Holy Child was instrumental to the spread of Christianity in the country.

Moreover, Bishop Jose S. Palma, Archbishop of Cebu, along with other bishops will also be gracing the event likewise the Augustinian friars of the Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu headed by Rev. Fr. Andres D. Rivera Jr., OSA, Prior Provincial.

A concert will also be held after the Eucharistic celebration which will feature the Coro del Sto. Niño de Cebu of BMSN and the Troubadors and Coro Liturgico Agostino of the University of San Agustin – Iloilo.

The organizers will also present the 10-point agenda of the historical event and the official website of the quincentennial celebration.

Meanwhile, with regards to the security of the event, guests with backpacks will not be allowed to enter the Basilica premises starting at 12:00 noon until the end of the activity.