Santo Niñong Hubad

The devotion to the Santo Niño—the Holy Child Jesus—began in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan gifted the image of the Holy Child to Queen Juana of Cebu. In 1565, the statue was rediscovered intact after a fire, hailed as miraculous, and became one of the most enduring symbols of Filipino Catholic faith. This devotion has shaped Filipino spirituality for over 500 years and is celebrated vividly in Cebu (Sinulog), Iloilo (Dinagyang), and Tondo, Manila. Revered and loved as both gentle and powerful, the Santo Niño is believed to protect, heal, and bless, inspiring deep panata and personal trust.

This same faith flows into folk expressions such as the fanatical anting-anting traditions that portray the Holy Child in extreme forms, most notably in the Santo Niñong Hubad. The Santo Niño is revered not only as an image of purity but also as an anting-anting—a source of bisa and spiritual power. One example is found in the practices of mananambal, who perform healing rituals called bolo-bolo, consulting Santo Niño statuettes as part of the rite. In this seamless blend of Catholic devotion and indigenous belief, the Santo Niño is not only honored on altars but carried into everyday life—linking faith, survival, and identity into a living Filipino spirituality.

The featured Santo Niño was part of the concluded MDLS Glimpses of Cavite Exhibition entitled Kultura. Kapangyarihan. Kamalayan: Homage to the Revolutionary Spirit and Cultural Memory from the Edwin and Aileen Bautista Collection. The Museo also has the same artifact on display at the San Buenaventura–Guevara Gallery.

Reference:
Villegas, D. S. (2022). You Shall Be As Gods: Anting-anting and the Filipino Quest for Mystical Power (2nd Edition). Vibal Foundation Inc.