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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

MIRACLES ATTRIBUTED TO THE SANTO NINO OF TERNATE (AND SOME ANECDOTES)

MIRACLES ATTRIBUTED TO THE SANTO NINO OF TERNATE
(AND SOME ANECDOTES)



By Dr. Evangelino Z. Nigoza
President, Cavite West Point College



The people of Ternate implicitly believed in the many miracles attributed to their Holy Child. Among this maybe mentioned: the Santo Nino fought against the Moro pirates and the sinking of their pangkos (vintas) at the mouth of the Maragondon River, causing a spring, of water to gush forth simply by pressing his cane into the rock in Kaypopong, a sitio adjacent to Daraloy; the Santo Nino when leaving the house where he is kept and taking a walk, as evidenced by the caretaker, discovering grains of tingloy when approaching a Chinese in Rosario, Cavite asking him lumber and galvanized iron sheets for the repair of the year as E,V, said, “que disencrease todos los anos un poco.”


According to E.V., the Mardicas served as a sort of wall to protect the people of Maragondon from the attacks of the Moro pirates, and in return for their services their Santo Nino was taken away from them.


There are other miracles Santo Nino had done for the people of Ternate and for who are devoted those who regularly frequented the place to venerate the image.


It is believed by many people of Ternate that they will be celebrating the town fiesta every January 5 and 6 of the year, to no surprise, they are able to earn something for their preparation. Seemingly they can easily find means for their foods and other needs for the celebration. It is likely some blessings come to them because of their devotion to the Santo Nino.


A blind woman used to go to the church almost every day to kiss the image of Santo Nino. She was always accompanied by her younger son to go up to the main alter. After kissing the image, she used to rub her fingers to her eyes. She did not cease doing it until eventually she was able to see clearly. What is nice also after miracle is that the woman became healer.


In another story, there was a man who was already so despair because he succumbed to a severe decease that none of the many physicians he had consulted with could detect his sickness. In the first place, he never believed with quack doctors or with any healer, but many of his sympathizers insisted and convinced him well to see anyone. So upon the advice of the “albularyo”, he went to a church and stood at the gate, praying fervently to Santo Nino. It was like a bubble in space, thus sickness was instantly healed.


There was also a woman saying that she never believed with the miracle of Santo Nino unless the image can prove it for itself because, according to this woman, the image has two eyes but can’t see. It has two ears but can’t hear; it has two feet but can’t walk; and the entire body can’t move at all. The woman coincidentally gave birth to a baby girl who looked like the image of Santo Nino and it so happened the child until she reached the age of nine, was totally deaf, mute, can’t walk and can’t talk.


A man who is already in the mid-fifties never enters the church. He said he doesn’t think of it since he also prays to Santo Nino even at home. It doesn’t matter to go to the church to offer prayers. Anywhere can do, according to him, one Sunday morning, he found himself inside the church to hear the mass. While there, unexpectedly, he shouted in the wilderness, saying “Santo Nino, you guide me! I need you, Santo Nino!” Everybody in the church was so astonished with his behaviour and gesture. Almost the whole period of the mass, he was shouting, and praying until after the mass, he walked out of the church usually, and now this man helps healing the sick.


In another dream of the author (Dr. Evangelino Z. Nigoza), Senor Santo Nino was seen likely to stumble from where he was standing. The author quickly approached Nino to rescue him from that condition. Nino was about to whisper something to the author when all of a sudden the personal driver of the author shouted and asks what is Nino whispering. In less than two weeks, it so happen the sister of the author who was very active in the church, got stroke and was paralyzed. Someone told the author that was perhaps the “message” of Santo Nino.


In 1965, the parish priest invited the author to come inside the convent to see the footprint of Santo Nino on top of the glass casket placed at a private room. The author remembers that one time the priest told him that miracles are not true. He said that it is hard to believe with what others say about miracles but upon seeing those footprints, his devotion to Santo Nino deepens.


In a big razed near the town plaza in year 2000 after the feast day of Santo Nino, miracurously, the house of Eduvihes, Tiyang Beheng to everybody, was not gutted despite this is made of “buho” and bamboos for over 13 years already, and only a foot away from the house where the fire started. Tiyang Beheng at her age of 80, almost like a fly flying swiftly from her house to the nearly church and prayed hard to Santo Nino then she came to know that her house survived but her neighbors’ get burned from that fire. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised that she was already at her home, crying and thanking Nino for her survival.


For many times already, Santo Nino had visited a certain individual or family from such places. Nino visited them in the appearance of a little boy, telling them to go to Ternate and visit the church. These people, when they get inside the church, are surprised that the image of Santo Nino at the altar is the same boy who talked to them.




Source: (With Permission)

Page 42-44
Bahra II (Ternate Book 2)
Lenguaje, Arte y Literatura (Language, Arts and Literature)
By Dr. Evangelino Z. Nigoza
President, Cavite West Point College
Member, Cavite Historical Society
Member, Ternate Historical Society
2017
Book Launched on November 20, 2016




To know more about the History of the town of Ternate, to learn the Ternateno Chavacano dialect, the Arts and Literature of the Ternatenos, I suggest you may buy a copy of the book BAHRA (Book 2) by Dr. Evangelino Z. Nigoza. It is available at the Cavite West Point College in Ternate, Cavite.



 The front cover


 The back cover


Sir Enjoe's simple message (to me)

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

The PABIHIS of the Santo Niño de Ternate

The PABIHIS of the Santo Niño de Ternate

(The rite of dressing the statue of the Holy Child Jesus of Ternate)

Note: Updated February 11, 2017


By: Dindo Mojica, C.E., M.Eng


The statue’s vestments/garments of the Santo Niño de Ternate (Holy Child) are changed in the Pabihis (Dressing) ritual, which is performed by the Parish Priest, his invited Priests, the sponsor of the Pabihis and devotees inside the Parish Church right after the The Baña de Santo Niño de Ternate or the Rite of Bathing of the Holy Child held every December 31 or the last day of the year before the New Year. It is held annually and is attended by the public, most especially the devotees of the Santo Niño de Ternate. Pabihis is sometimes called Atavio. Atavio is a Spanish term which means robing or pagbibihis in Tagalog, to dress up or put on the vestments.

The Pabihis, together with the Annual Bathing (The Baña de Santo Niño de Ternate) is an old tradition of the Mardicas, the ancestors of the people of the town of Ternate, Cavite which dates back on 1663.

The Pabihis of the Santo Nino is also held every month but the most important event is on every last day before the New Year. For the Santo Niño de Ternate Parish Church (Catholic), the schedule of their monthly Pabihis is held every Last Sunday of the month (please ask the Parish staff for the Sponsor’s schedule or scheduled event/depends on the schedule). For the Santo Niño de Ternate Aglipayan Parish Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Philippine Independent Church), the schedule of their monthly Pabihis is held every First Sunday of the month (please ask the Parish staff for the Sponsor’s schedule or appointed scheduled event).

If you’re going to sponsor the Pabihis, you must go to the Santo Niño de Ternate Parish Church of your choice (Catholic or Aglipayan). You can make a reservation by registering if you’re interested to conduct the Pabihis based on an availability of slots or any scheduled date. The Parish staff may recommend you to a Dressmaker who can make a Santo Niño de Ternate dress/garment/vestment of your preferred choice/design. The Price of Dress/Garments/Vestments of the Santo Niño de Ternate started at P5,000.00 (depending on your design; just ask your Dressmaker for the details).


PABIHIS AT THE AGLIPAYAN CHURCH

I had experienced watching a scheduled Pabihis of the Santo Niño de Ternate last October 2, 2016 right after attending the Mass at the Santo Niño de Ternate Catholic Church adjacent to it. I was invited to watch and observe the rituals of the Pabihis the Aglipayan way.

First, the Parish staff and the Sponsor of the Pabihis will bring down the statue of the Santo Niño de Ternate from the retablo going to the altar.

Next, you may take a photo of the statue of the Santo Niño de Ternate before the Pabihis.


Next, the Camarera or caretaker will remove (initially) the (outer) vestments of the Santo Niño de Ternate.

Before you proceed to the removal of the vestments of the Santo Niño de Ternate, the Camarera or caretaker will ask you if you can carry the image of the Holy Child and then you’re going to dance to it like you’re caressing or showing fondness to a little child. (Nilalambing muna ang bata bago ito bihisan). It is a peculiar event that the statue of the Santo Niño de Ternate wants to be caressed before the Pabihis. (Because you are accompanied by the Sponsor’s child that’s why!). It depends on the type of spectators or who sponsors the Pabihis the statue of Santo Niño de Ternate likes. (I was very lucky that time.)
Dancing the Santo Nino




Next, the Camarera or caretaker will remove the inner garments of the Santo Niño de Ternate and afterwards, they will cover with a towel and clean it with water soaked in cotton (bulak).






Then, the Camarera or caretaker will put the inner garments and the outer vestments of the Santo Niño de Ternate.






Ate Yeyeth carefully dresses the Santo Nino


Final Touches


Finally, the sponsor will spray the perfume for the vestments of the Santo Niño de Ternate and will bring him back to the retablo thru the help of the Camarera or caretaker and the Parish staff.

Spraying the perfume

I personally thank Mr. Jefferson Jalmanzar, instructor at Cavite West Point College, a friend and a Parish Staff at the Santo Niño de Ternate Aglipayan (IFI) Parish Church for inviting me to witness the Pabihis scheduled for the month of October 2016; To Ate Rosalie “Yeyeth” Linayao, the Camarera, for the rituals and traditions of the Pabihis I’ve learned, the Aglipayan way. To Hon. Victor Santos, Councilor of the Municipality of Ternate, Cavite and his family, the Sponsor of the Pabihis for the month of October 2016,  for allowing me to document and witness the Pabihis. To Ms. Imee  Lipar for the video and to the YIFI most especially to Mr. Edson Catipon for helping me to document the Pabihis.


A pose with the Santo Nino



Group Picture

Konsehal Victor Santos' and Family (Sponsors)

You may see the pictures of the Pabihis at my Flickr site:


You may watch the complete Pabihis here:


PABIHIS SEPTEMBER 2016



PABIHIS OCTOBER 2016





PABIHIS AT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH


It’s almost the same at their counterparts in the Aglipayan Church except that the Camarero or caretaker will ask you if you can carry the image of the Holy Child and then you’re going to dance to it like you’re caressing or showing fondness to a little child before removing the vestments (depending on the Santo Niño de Ternate). Usually, the Pabihis starts after the Second Mass (around past 9:30 in the morning).

The Camarero for the Santo Niño de Ternate Parish Church is former Ternate Councilor Khalil Lorenz D. Soberano, current Parish Pastoral Council Coordinator. The other camarera/camarero are Ma'am Grace de Joya, Ma'am Benilda "Baby" Catalasan and Mr. Roberto Pascua, aka Kuya Abet.





 Konsehal Khalil carefully dresses the Santo Nino with Ma'am Baby and Ma'am Grace





Group Picture (with Ma'am Grace, Ma'am Baby and Kuya Abet, right side)

My former High School Teacher Mrs. Cynthia Nigoza-Giray with her sister
 (who sponsors the Pabihis)



You may see the pictures of the Pabihis at my Flickr site:



You may watch the Pabihis clip here: