25 Years Sinulog in Stuttgart

This year marked the 25th year of Sinulog celebration in the Diocese of Stuttgart - Rottenburg. From its humble beginnings in 1994, the Sinulog festivities on this side of the globe has grown bigger and better.

Last January 12, 2019, about 700 Catholic Filipinos gathered at the St. Martin Cathedral in Rottenburg to celebrate the Sinulog Holy Eucharist, with Rev. Fr. Simon Boiser as the main celebrant and co-celebrated by the diocesan Canon Thomas Weisshaar, Rev. Fr. Jonathan Ramoso Galope, Dean Dr. Tomas Begovic, Rev. Fr. Philip Ojibo and Br. Roy Paraiso. Church goers brought along with them their Infant Jesus (Sto. Niño) images to be blessed and adored. A procession of the Sto. Niño on a carosa from the cathedral to the Rottenburg town hall followed, with the devotees praying the rosary, faces all happy despite the chilly winter air.

Official YouTube Video from the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart  

More merry making was witnessed inside the town hall as the people danced the Sinulog as a way of thanking and acknowledging the child Jesus for all the goodness, blessings and graces that He has bestowed upon the families and devotees gathered in his name. There were also various presentations prepared by the different Filipino communities in and around Stuttgart like the Sto. Niño Group, Kawayan Dancers, Philippine Cultural Dance Troupe Backnang, Mother of Salvation, and Waiblinger Dance Group showcasing different Filipino cultural dances. All these and more made the celebration more colorful and worth witnessing.

Filipino food and the Filipino way of sharing food was also a big part in the festivities. There was food for sale for those who are not so fond of Filipino dishes. There was food to share  in almost every table so that even if you did not bring anything to eat, you will not go hungry because everyone is generous enough to share their food with you, even if you are a stranger.

Games for both young and old kept the guests entertained. Another highlight of the Sinulog was the tombola raffle, where great prizes were up for grabs. This year, another lucky guest won a round trip air ticket to the Philippines. This and more prizes were raffled off - making the trip to Rottenburg really worth it.

After the formal program, everyone was invited to the dance floor to dance the night away.

Indeed it was a great way to celebrate our faith in the Sto. Niño with family and friends. Until the next Sinulog! Viva! Señor Sto. Niño! Pit Señor!

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My Little Ballerina Wannabe

My little girl really enjoys dancing... She loves ballet the most and would tiptoe and turn and pirouette whenever she gets the chance. She hasn't taken any formal ballet lessons yet but I can see that she is graceful and has the potential. She learned the moves while watching the cartoon series, Angelina Ballerina, a fifteen-minute cartoon series about a feisty, little mouseling who dreams of becoming a famous prima ballerina someday.

When they had their dance presentation for this year's Sinulog Festival in Rottenburg, she freely danced her own ballet steps to the tune of Mamang Sorbetero. I really thought it was very entertaining.... That or I am one big PROUD STAGE MAMA. Lol!

Below is the video I took while they were performing. She is the one wearing a gray tutu and white long-sleeved shirt. I apologize for the shaky and not so clear video.




Since she is almost four, she can actually start going to ballet school. All I need to do is look for a ballet school that offers courses for kids her age. I know there is a handful of ballet schools here in Stuttgart, since Stuttgart is also the home of the world-famous Stuttgart Ballet and I believe there are many young children who also wish to dance like them.

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Exhausted But Happy

It was a very busy day yesterday. But I guess everyone had fun and enjoyed themselves immensely. It was actually our second Sinulog experience here in Stuttgart and I can say that it was a success!

From the celebration of the Holy Eucharist which was celebrated by Father Simon, a Cebuano priest, to the Sinulog pprocession wherein we did a street dancing for the first time down to the continuation of the festivities at the venue, I can say that all went well. Of course, there is still room for improvement but all in all, it went well. Of course, a Filipino fiesta like the Sinulog will not be complete without the food and I can say that the tables were overflowing with numerous Filipino dishes. While eating, I was thinking to myself, the scales will go crazy after this one! There was even a lot of take home food, so I no longer need to worry for today's menu!

I am still exhausted but I just want to share a little about our Sinulog. Will blog more about it in my next updates.

Pit Senyor to everyone!

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