Sto. Niño, El Capitan General de Filipinas

The author of this website is a devotee of Sñr. Sto. Niño (Holy Child Jesus). Every month he wish to feature in his website www.yellow-whiskers.com the various images of Sñr. Sto. Niño in this way he can give thanks to GOD.

Sto. Niño, The Captain General of the Philippines

In the Recollect church of San Sebastian (now Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel) in Quiapo, Manila, there was a strong devotion for the Holy Child Jesus during the Spanish Colonial times. The image shows a boy in a 17th century governor general attire, complete with Napoleonic hat, royal sash and saber. The image was brought by the Recollect Missionaries in the early part of the 17th century, and enshrined in their newly built church, in what was then Barrio Calumbpang in Quiapo District.

In the ensuing years, the image acquired the sobriquest of Catain General of the Philippines, the military title of the Spanish governor general, and by royal Spanish decree, an amount equivalent to the pay of the governor general was granted to the Recollects for the upkeep of the image, and for celebration of its feast day in January.
The image enjoyed a 21 gun military salute the Spanish Royal army fired when the procession of the image goes out of the San Sebastian patio, the only Catholic icon accorded with such military honors in the country.

With the coming of the American colonizers at the turn of the 19th century, the very Hispanic title and cult of the Santo Niño Capitan General de Filipinas slowly faded until it was ultimately stopped.

Fortunately, the original image is still kept by the Recollects in their museum at Mira Nila Subdivision, Quezon City, a rather anti-climatic ending for what was once at the most civilly celebrated icon of the Holy Child Jesus in the Philippines.

Credits to Fr. Dodong Desuyo and Louie Nacorda.