Venerated in the Basilica Minor of Batangas City
Photo courtesy of Randy Caponpon del Mundo
In this Santo Feature, I present you the beloved Sto. Niño de Batangan. This image made of a dark hard wood said to have originated in Spain. The Image was on boarded in a galleon going to Cebu. when it encountered storm near Batangas and decide to take refuge in the bay of Batangas until the storm passed, the Spaniards brought the Niño to the church of "Batangan", now Batangas City. According to one story, the Spaniards and the native decided to sing the "Te Deum" after which the storm finally stop. The Spaniards then continue their journey to Cebu along with the Image.
Months later, the galleon finally landed in Cebu,when they discovered that the Niño was lost, they figured that they must have left it in Batangas or lost it along the voyage. They sent a letter to the Church of Batangan to inform them if they have the lost image. Back in Batangas, a deaf-mute child was playing in the side of Calumpang River discovered a Niño on top of a log floating in the river. It was later brought to the church and was venerated.
The letter from Cebu then came referring them about the lost image, the parish of Batangan later replied stating that the Niño was in Batangas. The Spaniards in Cebu decide to head back to Batangas to retrieve the image but when they were about to for Cebu strong winds came and terrible waves prevented them from sailing back. Knowing that the Niño wants to stay in Batangan, the Spaniards decided to let the image stay, with this the weather became calm.
The image is venerated in the Church of Batangas, later Basilica de Immaculate Conception, dress in a silver frontal and a embroidered cape fit for the small king. It has a Corona place in its head, a Setro place in its right while a Simborio on its left hand and has a pair of golden boots place in a simple silver peana.
Sadly tragedy struck the beloved Niño, on February of 1999, few weeks after its festivities. The "Bahay Pari" at the back of the Basilica went into flames, at that time the Niño was kept inside the in room of the Msgr. Rafael "Boy" Oriondo then parish priest of the Basilica for safe keeping. Unfortunately the image was not saved as the fire had consume the entire edifice. As the fire went down, the parishioners tried to look for the remains of the Niño. They discovered the peana with the pair of boots containing the ashes of image, they gather all the remains and place it in the base of the original image that survive the fire. It is sad to note that the image had no replica, seeing that the image will not be destroyed. A well known devotee later commissioned a replica to replace the said image which now used as the official Niño up to now.
Today the replica takes part of the annual festivities wearing some of the regalia that the Original use to have. Viva Sto. Niño de Batangan.
The letter from Cebu then came referring them about the lost image, the parish of Batangan later replied stating that the Niño was in Batangas. The Spaniards in Cebu decide to head back to Batangas to retrieve the image but when they were about to for Cebu strong winds came and terrible waves prevented them from sailing back. Knowing that the Niño wants to stay in Batangan, the Spaniards decided to let the image stay, with this the weather became calm.
Possibly a cover of a prayer book, the picture above is the original Nino before the tragic fire.
Photo courtesy of the Parish of the Immaculate Conception-Batangas City
The Original Sto. Niño de Batangan, taken from an estandarte
from the Basilica.
Sadly tragedy struck the beloved Niño, on February of 1999, few weeks after its festivities. The "Bahay Pari" at the back of the Basilica went into flames, at that time the Niño was kept inside the in room of the Msgr. Rafael "Boy" Oriondo then parish priest of the Basilica for safe keeping. Unfortunately the image was not saved as the fire had consume the entire edifice. As the fire went down, the parishioners tried to look for the remains of the Niño. They discovered the peana with the pair of boots containing the ashes of image, they gather all the remains and place it in the base of the original image that survive the fire. It is sad to note that the image had no replica, seeing that the image will not be destroyed. A well known devotee later commissioned a replica to replace the said image which now used as the official Niño up to now.
Today the replica takes part of the annual festivities wearing some of the regalia that the Original use to have. Viva Sto. Niño de Batangan.
The Sto. Niño de Batangan, after the Fluvial procession last January 7, 2013
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