Pinoys in Vienna Celebrates the 7th Sinulog Festival
The Kapunungan sa mga Bisaya sa Austria (KBA) led other Pinoys in Vienna, Austria to celebrate the 7th Sinulog Festival in Vienna last Sunday, January 17, 2010. Hundreds of Pinoys Sto. Niño devotees filled the Filipino Catholic Church to celebrate the feast of Sto. Niño.
The big festival started with a concelebrated mass led by Bishop Precioso Cantillas of Maasin, Southern Leyte. It was then followed by the blessing of all the Santo Ni√±o images and icons. The highlight of the event is the procession held at the church ground wherein the participants all danced down the church premises using a unique “Sinulog step,” chanting & singing, accompanied by a shrill, rhythmic whistle blast accompaniment while shouting “Pit Senyor,” meaning “Viva el Se√±or” or “Long live Santo Ni√±o” — the Christ Child.
Sinulog Festival is one of the most celebrated festivals in the Philippines which was held every 3rd Sunday of January in Cebu City to give honor to Senor Sto. Ni√±o. This great Filipino celebration event would be comparable to the annual Mardi Gras parade held in the American city of New Orleans or Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival in Brazil, minus the sexual overtones and booze party.
The Cebu Sinulog festival is a much more conservative and religious event drawing thousands of spectators and tourists from around the world as well as being an annual homecoming reunion event for many Filipinos.
