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Filipino Catholics celebrate Santo Nino

Filipino Catholics celebrate the feast of Santo Nino at Holy Child Jesus Parish on Jan. 15, 2023. Santo Nino (or Holy Child Jesus) is symbol of the birth of Catholicism in the Philippines over 500 years ago when Ferdinand Magellan presented a statute of the Santo Nino to Queen Juana of the Philippine Island of Cebu in 1521. The feast day celebration is often preceded by a novena Masses. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A woman holds her statue of the infant Jesus. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Ushers process to the sanctuary with the statue of Santo Nino. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Members of the congregation raise their hands as they sing a traditional Filipino song as the statue enters the church. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Young people perform a dance in honor of Santo Nino before Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Ushers process in with a statue of Mary. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Youth carry various ethnic representations of the child Jesus at the start of the procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Youth carry various ethnic representations of the child Jesus at the start of the procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Participants carry their statues of Santo Nino in the procession at the start of Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A woman smiles as she processes down the aisle. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A man holds a small statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Participants carry their statues of Santo Nino in the procession at the start of Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Participants carry their statues of Santo Nino in the procession at the start of Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Dozens of Santo Nino statues await a blessing. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Augustinian Father Richie Mercado incenses the statues at the start of Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Dozens of Santo Nino statues await a blessing. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Participants following along in the program book. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Santo Nino statues as seen in front of the sanctuary during Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
(Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

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