More than 240,000 devotees walk in faith as 461st Fiesta Señor begins

Faith and devotion filled Cebu City’s main thoroughfares before dawn on Thursday as more than 240,000 devotees joined the annual Walk with Jesus, marking the peaceful opening of the Fiesta Señor 2026 celebrations.

City officials said the turnout was significantly higher than in previous years, underscoring the enduring devotion of Cebuanos and pilgrims to the Sto. Niño.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), said the crowd estimate was calculated using the Jacobs Method, a widely accepted technique that measures attendance based on crowd density and area size.

“The estimate reached more than 240,000 participants,” Tumulak said.

Despite the massive turnout, authorities reported no untoward incidents during the early-morning penitential walk.

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Jose B. Los Baños said the crowd remained orderly and manageable throughout the procession.

“So far, peaceful ra gyud and very manageable ang crowd,” Los Baños said in an interview. “Mas daghan karon compared to last year, possibly because people have gone through calamities and are turning more to their faith.”

CCPO records show that about 160,000 devotees joined the Walk with Jesus in 2025, a figure lower than the 200,000 participants recorded in 2024.

Authorities likewise reported no major incidents during those earlier events.

The Walk with Jesus began at around 4:20 a.m. at Fuente Osmeña Circle and proceeded along Osmeña Boulevard toward the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu.

The foot procession traditionally signals the opening of the nine-day novena masses in honor of the Holy Infant Jesus.

Upon reaching the basilica, a Mass was celebrated at the Pilgrim Center, formally opening the novena. Devotees were joined by Augustinian friars, following the traditional one-kilometer route observed annually.

Fiesta Señor activities will continue in the coming days, including the fiesta triduum from January 16 to 18. On January 17, the Traslacion of the Sto. Niño image will be held ahead of the fluvial procession along the Mactan Channel.

The celebration will culminate on January 18, the feast day of the Sto. Niño, with Cebu Archbishop Alberto S. Uy presiding over the early morning Mass at the basilica. (LLP)

Photo by Jacq Hernandez/PBB Photojournalist