Osmena Boulevard, Cebu City, Philippines
Minor Basilica of the Santo Niño
The oldest Christian church in the Philippines, founded in 1565 in Cebu City, housing the Santo Niño de Cebu — a statue of the Child Jesus believed to date to Magellan's arrival in 1521.
The Basilica of the Santo Niño marks the spot where Christianity was planted in the Philippines. When Spanish explorers arrived in 1521 with Ferdinand Magellan, they baptized the local queen and gave her a statue of the Child Jesus. When the Spanish returned in 1565 under Miguel López de Legazpi to establish a permanent colony, soldiers found the statue intact among the burned ruins of the settlement. An Augustinian church was built on the site, and the Santo Niño has been venerated here ever since. The present building is a mix of Baroque and modern construction, rebuilt after fires and earthquakes. The statue itself — small, crowned, dressed in elaborate vestments — is kept in a glass case near the altar and draws millions of devotees each year, especially during the Sinulog festival in January.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Cebu