15 January 2023 – The Filipino community and culture took center stage in Barcelona on 15 January 2023 as the City and Archdiocese in Barcelona placed prominence on the Filipino Community’s Sinulog celebrations, held at the Plaza San Agustin and San Agustin Church. 

The Philippine Consulate General was on hand to join the community, the City and Archdiocese in witnessing Sinulog dances performed by different groups at the outdoor plaza, with local residents joining in, and a special Sunday mass celebrated by Barcelona Auxiliary Bishop Sergi Gordo Rodríguez. 

The Sinulog festival was marked by traditional dance performances by Filipino community groups, including by Iskwelang Pinoy and members of the Parishes of San Agustin, Mare de Deu de Betlem and San Pedro Nolasco and representatives of different Filipino organizations. 

In an unprecedented move, this year’s Sinulog was celebrated through a special Sunday mass held at the San Agustin Church with Bishop Gordo Rodríguez as the main celebrant and with all the parish priests from parishes in Raval and Poble-sec co-celebrating. Replicas of the statues of the Santo Niño de Cebu, Santo Niño de Tondo and the Santo Niño de Pandacan—symbols of Filipino Catholicism--were on full display, a clear acknowledgment of the importance of the Filipino community to the city and their close ties to the Church. This was the first time that the statues were brought together since June 2022, when they were shared with different churches in Barcelona. 

Auxiliary Bishop Gordo in his message said, “The Sinulog celebrations allow Filipinos in Barcelona to reconnect not just with their motherland but also with their faith in the Child Jesus.” Auxiliary Bishop Gordo ended by expressing his appreciation to the Filipino faithful and congratulating them on their beautiful celebration of the Santo Niño. 

Officials from the Barcelona City Government were present to witness the festivities, which ended with exuberant cheers of “Viva Pit Señor!”