Evening star., 1901-11-09
THE CHILD OF CEBU.

Filipino Image Which Is Said to
Possess Miraculous Powers.
From the New York Tribune.
'One Of the most interesting sights on the
Island of Cebu,' said a woman who has re-
Gently been there, to Tribune reporter, lis
the holy child of Cebu, an image that Is
supposed to possess miraculous curative
powers. The church that serves as it's
shrine is a large and handsome edifice de-
voted entirely to the worship OF the i'm
age.
The holy child is carved out OF ebony
and is beautifully dressed and bejewelel.
1t stands in a niche high in the wall, and
all day long, on the feast days, the Nor-
shippers kneel and pray on the floor be-
Meath 1t is believed that prayers made to
the image on those days will restoIe health
and happiness to all who make the pilgrin-
age to this shrine.
I'VE were the first Americans, ami was
the first white woman, allowed to &C ter the
church. The unprecented privilege Of en-
tering the room back of the niche. Ind
there getting a near view Of the image,
was accorded to US. The room Is .i9L open,
ordinarily, to any but the priests and nuns.
To reach it We passed through long hall
and ascended beautiful staircase 10 the
reception room of the padre in charge and
way.
THE nuns who showed the mixed blood
of the native Filipino and the Spanish race,
offered us some benedictine and then uss-
cred us into the sacred presence. There
were many afflicted natives on the floor
below, Offering their petitions, but the
father turned the niche. which swung on a
pivot, SO that the image faced US, and each
of the priests and nuns offered prayer and
and kissed it. was invited to do the same,
making wish as l did so, as the child, it
was explained, had unlimited power and
would grant whatever l desired.
II stepped upon the little platform to set
a better view, and saw that the small
white niche was beautifully carved and
overiaid with gold leaf. The image is about
twenty inches high and it's crown is Of i'm ..
mense jewels. mostly diamonds. Its mama,
upon the cabinet, Is surrounded with pearls
1t is gorgeousiy dressed in the Spanish col
ors. The nuns told me that the image was
flung upon the shore by Gods own hard, TO
bless the natives and cure their diseases.
I'VE were afterward taken into the
church through the padres robing room.
The walls and furnishings are of elaborate
ly carved mahogany, each piece of which
would bring a fortune in this country. But
everything is spotted with candle grease
and other signs of lack of care for these
sacred things must not be touched except
by holy hands and for sacred purposes.
In the large mahogany Wardrobes in
this room were kept many costly robes
worn by the priests These We're of such
heavy silks that they would stand alone
These robes were also spotted with the ta-
per grease.
"On our way out we were shown into the
coffin room. In this island collins are ne, er
used to bury the dead in-only for the fu-
nerals. These are most gaudy, being wood
en- boxes, covered with light blue or rose
pink calico and ornamented with a cross on
the top. They have no lining. The body is
placed in a straw mat, which is wrapped
about it, and after the service is lifted out
and buried in shallow graves dug out by
the hands, as they have no tools for digging
deep graves.
I'VE met a funeral party as we were
leaving. Members of the family walked
down the road in single file, all smoking
cigarettes and with no sign of grief. The
family being wealthy, a band of native
musicians was playing, and, sinsularly
enough the tune was a garbIed rendition
Of 'There'n Be Hot Time in the Did
Town Tonight