The Sandhurst Diocese recently came alive with the sights, sounds and spirit of Sinulog, the iconic Filipino Catholic Festival celebrated with music, dance and colourful processions.
Sinulog honouring Santo Niño (the Child Jesus) is a traditional and rich expression of faith unique to the Filipino people. At the heart of the Sinulog is a special dance which carries generations of faith and history. Processors step forward, then back, tracing the rhythm of a river, hands rising and falling in sweeping arcs in unison with vibrant music, rhythmically echoing centuries of devotion, and marking the Filipino people’s embrace of Christianity in the 16th century.
Central to the festival is the Santo Niño, the Child Jesus carried during the dance and procession. Santo Niño, symbolises humility, innocence, and God’s enduring presence in daily life. Devotion to the Santo Niño is not about worshipping a statue, but about expressing gratitude, faith, and a personal relationship with Christ – a faith lived in joy, song and movement.
In Sandhurst, Filipino parishioners at St Mel’s, in Shepparton and St Kilian’s, in Bendigo brought Sinulog to life on 18 and 25 January respectively. For Filipino migrants in these parish communities, the Sinulog celebrations help to preserve their cultural heritage and anchor identity, pass faith to younger generations, and strengthen belonging in a new country. As Jessan Tano, Sandhurst Youth Ministry Officer, shares, “Celebrating Sinulog here in Australia makes me feel connected to my roots and to God at the same time. When dancing, singing and praying together, we’re reminded of who we are as a community and how faith carries across generations.”
The commitment of Filipino migrants to hold these festivals in our parishes also enriches Australian communities, weaving energy, generosity and cultural depth into parish life. Many parishioners from other backgrounds also join the festivities, drawn to the colours and music and, more importantly, the spirit of devotion, connection and shared joy, culminating in communal meals and celebrations that bring everyone together.
With Filipino Australians among the largest immigrant groups in the region and many of the Diocese’s priests coming from the Philippines, local Sinulog celebrations are more than a festival — they are a powerful affirmation of faith, culture and community, enriching the life of the Church in Sandhurst.
As Archbishop Shane Mackinlay said in his Homily on the Feast of Santo Niño, in Cebu in 2024, the love of God has no borders:
“It transcends oceans and connects hearts, echoing the love that first arrived on Philippine shores with the gift of the Santo Niño ... Wherever people encounter the love of God they experience a magnet — a force drawing them into relationship with the God who is love. It’s this love that enriches not only Filipinos but cultures worldwide.”
"Sinulog" at St Mel's Shepparton on 18 January 2026 (Photos courtesy of St Mel's) .
https://mail.sandhurst.catholic.org.au/item/3009-sinulog-2026#sigProIde0985fcca8"Sinulog" at St Kilian's, Bendigo on 25 January 2026 (Photos courtesy of St Kilian's) .
https://mail.sandhurst.catholic.org.au/item/3009-sinulog-2026#sigProId95ba7eb0b5
