29 January 2015 – Filipino Catholic communities from all over Italy gathered in Bergamo on January 25 to celebrate one of the most vibrant religious festivities, the Sinulog festival, in honor of the Holy Infant Jesus. The event was organized by the Filipino community in Bergamo with the cooperation of the Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants of the Diocese of Bergamo, headed by Father Massimo Rizzi, and the support of Filipino chaplains of Northern Italy, headed by Father Paulino Bumanglag.

The celebration started with a Holy Mass presided by Cardinal Orlando Beltran Quevedo, Archbishop of Cotabato City, and concelebrated by other Filipino and Italian priests, at the Basilica of St. Alexander.

After the mass, the Filipino communities danced along the streets of Bergamo while holding their statues of the Divine Santo Niño. A Mardi Gras festival followed afterwards. Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See, Merceditas Tuazon, Vice Consul Helen Anne Sayo of the Philippine Consulate General in Milan and Vice Consul Kristine Margret Malang of the Philippine Embassy in Rome were present to convey their greetings to the community.

The famous Sinulog festival is an annual religious and cultural festival held in Cebu City every third Sunday of January. It is characterized by a parade of various groups dressed in colorful costumes dancing gracefully to the sound of drums and native gongs. END