Drum beats are back again in the streets. Dinagyang fever is right around the corner as the year begins. But is Dinagyang festival just all about the drums, costumes and merry makings?

During the fourth weekend of January, Dinagyang festival is celebrated in order to give tribute to the Christianization of the natives and show respect to Sto. Niño (Holy Child Jesus). It is a three-day event, the highlight of which is the 3^rd day, the Ati-ati contest. It is a colorful parade of costumes staging the Sto. Niño as the object of offerings and prayers. “Viva Señor Sto. Niño” is heard amidst the beating of the drums during the competition. This is an evidence of the Ilonggos’ great devotion to the child Jesus who is believed to be miraculous during famine and drought.

Dinagyang is not just any cultural event that wowed the whole country and the world, it is also considered as a religious evangelization.

Dinagyang comes from the Hiligaynon (TRIVIA: we call the people ILONGGO and the dialect is HILIGAYNON) word dagyang meaning make happy. The festival was formerly called Ati-atihan similar of the festival in Kalibo. According to history, it started when a replica of the image of Señor Sto. Niño was brought from Cebu to Iloilo (San Jose Parish in Libertad). From then on, Ilonggos became devotees and proclaimed the 4^th Sunday of January as His feast day since year 1968. The annual celebration is concluded by a nine-day Novena, an Ati-Ati contest and a fluvial procession on the last day.

It was the late Pacifico Sumagpao Sudario, a radio broadcaster who first used to name the festival when it commenced in 1977, to differentiate it from Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan.

The image of Sto. Niño is placed on a decorative boat in a fluvial procession early in the morning. It starts from the mouth of the Iloilo River at Fort San Pedro to the Iloilo Provincial Capitol found on the bank of the Iloilo River. The image is met by the Hermano-Hermana mayor devotees as well as the contesting tribes. The procession ends at San Jose Church where a high mass is celebrated. Opening ceremonies and contest proper follows shortly after the mass.

Dinagyang proved to be one of the best festivals in the country when it won Best Festival for a couple of years in a row.

Every year, tourist swarms the city to see Iloilo’s Finest and the Nation’s best: Dinagyang Festival.

A Preview of what to expect this year:

DINAGYANG FESTIVAL 2011 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES:

January 19-23, 2011
2:00 P.M.-12 MN Iloilo Hotel Resort & Restaurant Association (IHRRA) Food Festival Delgado St., Iloilo City

January 21, 2011, Friday
8:00:00 AM TAMBOR TRUMPA MARTSA MUSIKA Freedom Grandstand
7:00 PM LUCES IN THE SKY Part II

January 22, 2011, Saturday
7:00:00 AM Mass for Kasadyahan San Jose Parish Church
8:00 A.M. 2011 KASADYAHAN Competition Freedom Grandstand and other stages
2:00PM SPONSORS MARDI GRAS Judging Area #4 to Freedom Grandstand

January 23, 2011, Sunday
6:30 a.m Concelebrated high mass for devotees, Tribes, Gov’t. Officials, LOMAS in attendance San Jose Parish Church
8:00 A.M. 2011 Dinagyang Ati CONTEST Freedom Grandstand and other stages
7:00 P.M. Awarding Ceremonies Freedom Grandstand

January 24, 2011, Monday
5:30 P.M. Thanksgiving Mass with all members of 2010 Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Working Committees

Location          : La Paz, Iloilo

Feast Day        : May 24 (Annual district fiesta)

History            : This neo-classical church was made of stone and bricks with Greek pediments. The parish was organized in 1870 under the leadership of an Augustinian priest, Fr. Candido Gonzales. The church was composed of red bricks, stone, cement and wood. It was damaged during the Second World War and the infamous 1948 earthquake. The only thing that with stood the forces of men and nature is its façade. The convent was immediately renovated after the war ended. Major restorations were done through the years but mostly during the incumbency of Msgr. Melicio Fegarido. The inauguration of the fully restored church was done on May 24, 1995 during the celebration of the town fiesta.

Location          : Villa, Arevalo

Feast Day        : 3^rd Sunday of January (Annual District fiesta)

History            : The flower capital of Iloilo is the home of the church where the 3^rd oldest original Sto. Niño image is enshrined. There are only three original image of the child Jesus in the whole archipelago. The oldest is found in Cebu, which was discovered by Legaspi in 1565, in Tondo Church found in 1572 and the one in Arevalo.

The original appearance of the church a cross plan with timber frame and square columns, unarticulated wall surface with simple arch window, there is a presence of a choir loft and an altar rail separating the clergy from the congregation (cancelli).

To preserve the altar, reconstruction was made during the time of Rev. Fr. Jerry R. Locsin (1986). The square column was removed, to promote a well-ventilated atmosphere inside the church, the side aisles were opened converting it to a wider seating space. The open concept of the using of grails through the entire length of the church promotes a well-ventilated atmosphere.

Another set of changes were made beginning September 2004 to December 2005 under the incumbency of Fr. Jess Candado. It was directed towards the renovation of the altar.

the church with two red-topped towers

This house of worship prides itself with the most collection of female saints among all churches in the island. This is said to be the most beautiful church in the whole of Western Visayas. Sixteen almost life-size images of female saints adorn the sides of its walls. On the right side stood: Sta. Juliana, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Rosa de Lima, Sta. Teresa, Sta. Clara, Sta. Cecilia, Sta. Margarita, Sta. Marta and on its left side: Sta. Marcela, Sta. Apolonia, Sta. Genoveva, Sta. Isabel de Ungria, Sra. Monica, Sta. Felicia, Sta. Ines, and Sta. Maria Magdalena. The construction of this citadel started in 1831 under the administration of Rev. Pablo Montaño and completed under that of Rev. Agapito Buenaflor.

The church has five massive doors, with ceilings shaped as domes. It is said to be in a Neo-Classical elegance, with some details in Gothic styles. The twin belfries rise in unison into a red-sharp top, the two towers gives a visually vertical orientation of the structure and breaks the monotony of the morning sky. The church is practically situated in the middle of the town.

The church survived several earthquakes but not the war. On March 19, 1945, the church was bombed and the two belfries were destroyed and the church was partially damaged. There are originally 36 bells of different sizes but destroyed during the way when the Japanese used the tower as machine gun nests and shelled by American artillery. Under the supervision of Gov. Timoteo Consing and the parish priest Rev. Manuel Alba, the fortress was reconstructed with the support of the Molo population. The church contains remains of many prominent Ilonggo personalities.

It was the painting of biblical characters during the last part of the 19^th century that urged our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal to drop by the Molo church on his way to Dapitan in August 1896.

The relics of St. Anne is exposed for veneration every 26^th of June, her feast day.

Location          : Molo, Iloilo City

Feast Day         : 26^th July

The fortress was made originally to copy the Miguelete Church of Valencia El Cid in Spain. It is built by Fr. Mauricio Blanco (1873) with stones and bricks. There are three naves and a transept following a Byzantine Architectural tradition. From 1980 to 1982, marbles from Romblon where shipped to Iloilo to renovate the main and side walls of altars, the floors, transept and walls.

One of the most treasured possession of this church is the statue of Our Lade of the Most Holy Rosary found in the 29^th of September, 1614 during the defense of La Punta de Iloilo by Diego Quiñones against the invading Dutch. It was the night when they defeated the enemy, when Quiñones took a walk in the moonlight inspecting the casualties, he staggered across a big box containing the image of Our Lady with a child in her arms. Two Augustinian priests then organized a solemn procession and brought the statue to the church.

The main entrance posses a semi-circular arch with two flanking secondary entrances. While the windows of the first story level the bell towers, the semi-circular arch windows level that of the choir lofts.

The only Cathedral in Panay Island. Jaro prides itself with its lavish fiesta where 35 masses are held on the 2^nd of February for the devotees of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, the only rose among the male collection of saints that adorn the walls of the cathedral.  The image of Our Lady of Candles is the 2^nd oldest Marian image in the Philippines. The statue was crowned by Pope John Paul II on February 21, 1981 when he visited Iloilo and proclaimed as patroness of Western Visayas the following year.

The image is made of limestone and is continuously growing through the years. It had become too big to fit on its former niche found just above the present one.

It is neo-classical in style built under the leadership of Bishop Mariano Cuartero in the 1870’s from the plan of Francisco Agueria who constructed a brick factory soley for this project. Two thousand pieces of wood (12×13 ft long) came from the forests of Negros and from the concepcion districts.

Damaged during the infamous 1948 earthquake, it was restored in 1950 by the order of the first archbishop of Jaro, his excellency Jose Ma. Cuenco.

The belfry of Jaro was heavily damaged during the 18th century earthquake.

The Jaro Cathedral presently is undergoing careful reconstruction to restore the old citadel to its former glory.

Location          : Jaro, Iloilo City

Feast Day         : 2^nd February

The novena masses during Wednesdays for our Mother of Perpetual Help crowds this white church along Luna St. La Paz. This church managed by Redemptorists started the novena after the war. Then extended to Baclaran and Cebu and other churches throughout the country.

On November 9, 1931, the building was completed and the inaguration took place. It was blessed by Bishop McClosky. This church was selected as the patron of the Redemptorists because of its influence over students.

In May 13, 1962 the parish was created by Msgr. Jose Maria Cuenco.