The
Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is an annual cultural and religious festival held on the third
Sunday of January in Cebu City, and on the fourth Sunday of January in Carmen, Cebu, and is
the centre of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in the Philippines.
The festival is considered to be the first and the biggest festival in the Philippines, with every
celebration of the festival routinely attracting around 1 to 15 million people all over the world
every year.[1] Aside from the religious aspect of the festival, Sinulog is also famous for its street
parties, usually happening at night before and at the night of the main festival.[2] The festival is
nicknamed the "Grandest Festival in the Philippines."[3]
Other places like General Santos City, Kabankalan City, Maasin City, Balingasag Misamis
Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City and Pagadian City also have their own version of the
festival in honor of Santo Niño.
The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog, roughly meaning "like water
current movement;" describing the forward-backward dance movements. The dance consists of
two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized
into Sinulog-base, free-interpretation, and street dancing. Candle vendors at the Basilica
continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer,
usually accompanied by songs in the native language
Sinulog is the ritual prayer-dance honoring Señor Santo Niño or the Child Jesus. An image of the
Child Jesus is said to be the baptismal gift the Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan
gave to Hara Amihan (Humanay) of Zebu (now Cebu) in April 1521. The image, believed to be
miraculous, is housed at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in downtown Cebu City.
The Sinulog dance moves are basically two steps forward and one step backward as the dancer
sways to a distinct rhythm of drums. This movement resembles the current (Sulog) of what was
known as Cebu's Pahina River.
According to historical accounts, the Cebu natives already danced the Sinulog in honor of their
animist idols long before the arrival of Magellan who led a Spanish expedition on April 7, 1521.
Magellan did not live long after he introduced Christianity. He died in a failed assault on nearby
Mactan island at the hands of a local chieftain named Lapu-Lapu.
Survivors of Magellan's expedition left behind the image to be discovered 44 years later.
Today the Sinulog commemorates the Filipino people's acceptance of Christianity (specifically,
Roman Catholicism), and their rejection of their former animist beliefs (worship of nature).
[neutrality is disputed] The first of these conversions happened in 1521 on the island of Cebu,
when Indianized-Sanskritized ruler Rajah Humabon and his queen Amihan (Humamay) were
baptized along with their subjects, becoming Carlos and Juana of Cebu.[4]
Why Do We Celebrate Sinulog Festival?
Sinulog is held in celebration of one of the country’s most famous historic relics: the Santo Niño de Cebú.
This was the statue of the baby Jesus that was handed to the Rajah Humabon of Cebu by the Portuguese
explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.
How did Sinulog begin?
Basically, the festival is done by a dance ritual, in which it tells the story of the Filipino people’s pagan past
and their acceptance of Christianity. The word “Sinulog” means “graceful dance”, wherein it all started in 1980
with a simple dance that represents the “sulog” (or current) of a river in Cebu.
What is Pit Senyor means?
People yell “Pit Senyor,” a short way of saying Viva Pit Senyor, which means “Long Live the Christ Child!”
The street party is quite a different experience from the coordinated movements and calm of the procession
that comes earlier.
The Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is an annual cultural and religious festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City,
and on the fourth Sunday of January in Carmen, Cebu, and is the centre of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in
the Philippines.The festival is considered to be the first and the biggest festival in the Philippines.The
word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog, roughly meaning "like water
current movement;" describing the forward-backward dance movements. The dance consists of
two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums.
Sinulog is held in celebration of one of the country’s most famous historic relics: the Santo Niño de Cebú.
This was the statue of the baby Jesus that was handed to the Rajah Humabon of Cebu by the Portuguese
explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.The word “Sinulog” means “graceful dance”, wherein it all started in 1980
with a simple dance that represents the “sulog” (or current) of a river in Cebu.People yell “Pit Senyor,” a
short way of saying Viva Pit Senyor, which means “Long Live the Christ Child!”
