I say Pit Senior!!!!

Pit Senior! "Pit" is a shortened word for "Sangpit," which means "call." You are actually calling to Senior Santo Niño when you say Pit Senior! A call and at the same time a form of prayer for the devotee. I haven't heard this for such along time for almost 5 years. I was away in Cebu but I'm fortunate enough to be back here again and to witness the mother of all festivals, i must say. I've been to "Dinagyang" in Ilo-ilo; Masskara in Bacolod ("panaad" also); "Panagbenga" in Baguio; "Kaamulan" in Malaybalay, Bukidnon; "Naliyagan" in Agusn del Sur; "Manlambus" in Escalante city, but i can't compare the festivity of Sinulog with that of the said festivals. When i was young, we used to live in Manila and i always hear the Ati-atihan Festival. It was more popular than Sinulog that time, perhaps until now (for the obvious reason that its already their 797th celebration compared to that of sinulog festival which just started last 1980). But now, "Sinulog" - from its root word "sulog" or water current, is becoming far more famous than other festivals in the Philippines, a celebration and a dancing with the flow of the water. What i like in Sinulog, though it's becoming more commercialize each year, is that the religiosity of the Cebuanos or the devotees remains. Just this morning, we planned to attend the Pontifical Mass at the Basilica scheduled at 6am, but later on we decided to went back home because of the heavy crowd. The crowd started almost half kilometer from the Basilica. By the time we can reach the Basilica, the Holy Eucharist is over. I saw in the faces of the people, the faith which i guess would resembles to that of the faith of the little ones. I've been to Quiapo for the Black Nazarene feast but the spirituality flows in the people is very different compared here. Maybe because the Black Nazarene reflects the pains, the sufferings, the problems of each devotee going there, that they have to brush elbows, push people and even die in order to wipe your white handkerchief to the statue (which i feel is too much). While in Cebu, people are full of confident since they can associate the little Niño to a child who easily gives in to any of their requests. There's always joy in celebrating the Sinulog. And this is what I hold as I celebrate Sinulog, the happiness, the joy and the hope that while dancing and celebrating, i can be assured of the favor i ask from our Lord who once became child and did favor to people...and will continue to do so because after all, a child in Jesus will always remain....
So see you guys and let's celebrate Sinulog Festival..Viva Senior Santo Niño...Pit Senior!!!!!



-melskiens-