Santo Niño de Cebú: Stories of Divine Favors Granted by the Child Jesus
The devotion to the Santo Niño de Cebú, the Holy Child Jesus, holds a special place in the hearts of Cebuanos in the Philippines. For centuries, this sacred image has been venerated as a symbol of divine protection, countless miracles, and boundless blessings. The Minor Basilica of the Holy Child of Cebu stands as a beacon of faith and culture, drawing both the devout and curious alike. It is more than just a church—it is the spiritual heart of Cebu, where locals and tourists alike often find themselves enveloped in a new sense of faith and wonder.
The deep love for the Santo Niño de Cebú is reflected in the many stories of divine favors granted to those who approach Him with a childlike faith. Below are four stories that highlight the miraculous interventions of the Holy Child, reminding us that He is always with us in our journey of faith.
Here are four stories of divine favors granted by the Child Jesus to the faithful:
The Speedy Boater
One of the most touching miracles of the Holy Child of Cebu was written by the recipient himself, a sailor of the ship Barcelona, one Fernando Saavedra de Gracia. In his letter, posted from Manila and dated September 26, 1877, addressed to his Cebu based friend, one Don Fidel Maas y Matti.
De Gracia narrated how, in the morning of September 3 of the same year, he hurriedly left the church of San Agustin (now the Basilica) and rushed to join his ship at the port. Much to his dismay, however, the Barcelona had already left for Manila, and was already at some distance from the pier. Then a boy approached him and spoke to him in fluent Spanish, just like a native speaker, and told him, “I know which ship you are going. Come!” To which he replied, “Then, let us go!” While seated in the boat, he noticed that though the boy was not paddling, the baroto (dugout canoe) was sailing very fast. He turned to the boater behind him and asked where he was heading as he did not tell the boy which one is his ship, but the boy instead told him, “Can you not see the fore of your ship?” And as he turned his head back, they were already beside the Barcelona.
A rope ladder was lowered for him by his equally surprised co-workers on board. When he asked his boater how much the fare was, the boy told him to give the money to the nuns of the Hospicio de San Jose in Manila instead. Finally, De Gracia asked the boy what his name was, and the boy answered, “I am Jesus of Cebu”, and right before his eyes, the boy vanished with his baroto.
The Tuba Provider
There is a story that the Santo Niño walked along the shores of Old Cebu at night, and in the morning, the image would smell of salty seawater and dried amor seco weeds would be found in the hem of its cape. So the priests assigned the old sacristan mayor to check if there are any weeds at the cape and to remove them before the church opens for Mass.
One day, the sacristan scolded the Child as he was painstakingly removing the dried weeds one by one, telling him, “My goodness, you wandered again last night, eh? I hope you brought me some coins so I can buy my tuba tonight.”. And indeed, after he had cleared the cape of the weeds, he found some coins by the feet of the image, to pay for his favorite drink.
Indeed, the Word made Flesh shows in many different ways that he really walks with us in our journey of faith.
The Fishmonger
A child will always be a child, they say, and the Holy Child of Cebu is no exception. Stories abound about his “pranks” and the most popular of these, which every devout Cebuano learned by oral tradition from their parents and grandparents, is the one about the Holy Child being a fishmonger.
Story goes that early one morning, a fish vendor was walking by the San Agustin Church (now the Basilica) carrying a load of fish in a rattan tray on her head. A boy whom she described as dark skinned with curly hair called her from the convent and told her that he would like to buy some fish but that she would have to come back for the payment a little later in the day, as the priests were still asleep. Trustingly, the woman gave the child a string of fresh danggit, a popular fish variety in Cebu.
Later that day, the vendor went back to the convent and asked the Padre for payment. But the priest denied having a dark skinned, curly haired boy for a servant, and denied that he ordered anyone to buy fish for him. Suspecting that it was a prank by the Child, the priest asked the sacristan to check if there is fish by the niche of the image, and there it was, the string of fresh danggit, resting by the feet of the image. The padre argued no more and smilingly paid the vendor.
The Rainmaker
On May 16, 1565, King Tupas of Cebu sent a delegation to Legaspi to redeem the image of the Sto. Niño found by the sailor Juan Camus in an abandoned house in Cebu. They told Legaspi that they want the image back because the Santo Niño is their deity whom they call Bathala, and that the Cebuanos experience daily miracles from Him.
They narrated that whenever Cebu experiences draught, they would ask for his help on bended knees, singing praises to Him. They would then take the image out of the box, displayed him in a public shrine, decorated with sweet smelling flowers, and take Him in procession to the sea shore. There, they would disrobe the image and immerse it in the water, telling the image that they would not take him out of the water until it rained. “With these acts, they always managed to obtain the water that they asked him for their needs”, narrates Augustinian historian Fray Gaspar de San Agustin in his book, “Conquistas de las Islas Filipinas” (Book 1, Chapter 26).
To the Cebuanos, then and now, the Holy Child Jesus, their Santo Niño de Cebu, is still the provider they turn to for all their needs, and He never fails to help those who keep a childlike faith in Him.


These stories are just a few examples of the countless miracles attributed to the Santo Niño de Cebú. The love and devotion that the Cebuanos have for the Holy Child are unwavering, and His presence continues to be felt in their lives. Whether through grand gestures or small acts of kindness, the Santo Niño de Cebú remains a constant source of divine favor, reminding us all to approach Him with childlike faith and trust in His boundless love. Pit Senyor!!!