Fiesta Señor opens

At 4 a.m., from Fuente Osmeña Circle to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, thousands of devotees walked in solemn reflection, their voices rising together in the hymn "Bato Balani sa Gugma," a song of supplication and love that has long defined Cebuano devotion to the Holy Child.

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Devotees, holding lighted candles and an image of the Child Jesus, offered prayers and sacrifices as they walked the 2.1-kilometer-long procession toward the Basilica for the Opening Salvo Mass.

City Councilor Dave Tumulak estimated the crowd at 240,000, a dramatic rise in number from the 160,000 recorded in 2025, underscoring the growing fervor of Cebuano devotion.

Observers said the surge in attendance reflects both the resilience of the faithful and the city's capacity to manage one of the country's largest religious gatherings.

The Walk With Jesus, regarded as the opening salvo of the 461st Fiesta Señor, is more than a ritual march—it is a collective act of thanksgiving and renewal.

Upon arrival at the Basilica, the Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Father Danilo M. Carido, OSA, vice rector of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu, who also delivered the homily.

This year's novena walk and masses were held under the Sinulog 2026 theme, "In Santo Niño, we are one," highlighting unity among the faithful despite differences in background, culture, and personal circumstances.

Father Carido likened the gathering of devotees to small streams of water converging into one powerful river, all flowing in one direction toward God.

While each devotee comes from a unique path, he said, they are united in purpose as they journey together toward the Basilica, described as the "sea of glory" where the Señor Santo Niño awaits.