The annual fest day celebration in honor of the Santo Niņo will take place in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 20.

As in previous years, the special feast is expected to bring together the many Santo Niņo organizations of the Archdiocese, mostly among the Filipino and Hispanic communities, said Sal Pilar, president of the Santo Niņo Cruzada, USA, the yearly sponsor of this event for the past five years.

"Filipinos are known for their deeply religious devotion to the Santo Niņo which dates back to 1521 when the Spanish Conquistadores landed on a small island in the southern part of the Philippines, bringing with them the image of the Santo Niņo and giving it as a gift to the native King and Queen during their baptism and conversion to Christianity," said Pilar.

The miracles attributed to the statue during the struggles and conflict that ensued between the natives and the Spaniards were what started the devotion to the Santo Niņo in the Philippines. Miracles have also been attributed to the Santo Niņo de Atocha, similarly revered among the Hispanics.

According to Pilar, the cultural significance of this annual fiesta "not only enhances the Filipino and Hispanic communities, but also brings to the open the religious cultures of other ethnic groups." The Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Spanish and Vietnamese communities are represented during the Prayers of the Faithful at the liturgical celebration.

Cardinal Roger Mahony will preside at the Fiesta Mass, assisted by Msgr. Kevin Kostelnik (pastor of the Cathedral), Msgr. Marc Trudeau, Father Francis Mendoza, Salesian Father John Lam, Society of Chist Father Marek Ciesielski, and other priests of the archdiocese.

As a tradition at this annual celebration, those who wish may bring their small statues of Santo Niņo for a special pastoral blessing. However, those statues are not to be brought to the altar or the sanctuary; they should be held by their owners and raised up during the special blessing.