ILOILO CITY – The Dinagyang Festival is set to enrich its fluvial procession with a new ‘Traslacion’ event, adding a vibrant touch to the religious festivities scheduled for January 24. Rev. Fr. Nelson Zerda, from the San Jose Placer Parish Church and the organizer of the religious activities, announced that the image of Señor Santo Niño will be transferred to the Our Lady of Fatima Church in Lapuz District following the 5:30 p.m. mass on January 23.
Zerda explained that the Traslacion is designed to move the image to the starting point of the fluvial procession, a practice not previously included as the procession traditionally had a single starting and ending location. The choice of Lapuz for the overnight stay of the image is strategic, being near the embarkation point for the fluvial procession, which will commence at 1 p.m. the following day from Lapuz wharf.
The fluvial procession itself will feature 10 fiber boats, each operating at half capacity to ensure safety. After the water procession, a solemn foot procession will proceed from Muelle Loney to the San Jose Church. Zerda highlighted that this year’s event will also include the participation of San Jose and the Blessed Virgin, aligning with the festival’s theme of Synodality in Church.
Further festivities include a two-hour grand religious ‘sadsad’ (merrymaking) in front of the church starting at 7 p.m. on January 25, followed by a pontifical Mass at 6 a.m. on Sunday. The Dinagyang Festival, derived from the Hiligaynon word ‘dagyang’ meaning merrymaking, is a celebration in honor of the Child Jesus, similar to other regional feasts like Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Aklan; Sinulog in Cebu City, Cebu; and the Sto. Niño celebrations in Tondo and Pandacan, Manila, all held on the third Sunday of January.