The Sacred Heart Catholic Church bustles with breathless joy as Filipinos from various parts of Bahrain joined the Feast of Santo Niño during a jovial celebration on 19 January 2024.
About two thousand Filipinos attended the feast showing love and devotion for the child Jesus as ingrained in Philippine culture and Christian history.
The joyous and colourful occasion was commenced with a Feast Mass officiated by Fr. Ruben Belmonte Barrameda Jr., the Vicar General of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia.
It was followed by a procession of the images of Señior Sto. Niño and Ati-atihan, Dinagyang, Sinulog program and street dance competition.
The festival was attended by Her Excellency Anne Jalando-on Louis, Ambassador of the Philippine Embassy; Vice Consul Atty. Laser Blitz Sumagaysay and leaders of Filipino organizations.
Overseas Filipino worker Mary Grace Reyes, the coordinator of Parish Music Ministry of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the El Shaddai Bahrain Gospel Choir Musical Director shared her devotion to the Sto. Niño, “The Feast of Sto Niño is a good time to reflect on the teachings of Jesus about having a childlike faith. In the bible. Jesus often emphasized the importance of approaching God with trust and simplicity, much like a child. She also added that,‘’The image of Sto. Nino can serve as a reminder to cultivate a humble and trusting faith in our relationship with God’’.
Performers clad in festive and vibrant costumes from Alwali Training and Development Centre (ATDC) with the Philippine Bahrain Caregivers Society (PBCS) and Katilingban sang mga Ilonggo sa Bahrain (KIB) won the first place in the Sinulog dance competition followed by El Shaddai Bahrain Gospel Dancers
(Press release written by: Cecil Ancheta of Filipino Writers’ Circle)
