Santo Niño, Cebu, Philippines

Santo Niño de Cebu is a representation of the Child Jesus. Santo Niño de Cebu literally means "holy child of Cebu".


Basílica Menor del Santo Niño (sometimes also called Basilica del Santo Niño) is a 16th century church structure in the heart of downtown Cebu City, Philippines. It is built in the exact spot where the image of Santo Niño (the Black Holy Child Jesus image/sculpture) was found by the Spanish conquistadors in 1565 preserved in a burned wooden box which was left behind by the Portuguese and Spanish explorers in 1521. The church of Santo Niño de Cebu was first founded by the Augustinian priest, Andrés de Urdaneta on April 28, 1565 . The first church structure was built out of earth, hard wood and nipa in 1566 ordered by Fr. Diego de Herrera. In 1735, Fernando Valdés y Tamon, the Governor of Cebu, ordered the church to be constructed of hard stone, which was built in the same spot where the previous church stood. Construction finally finished in 1739. In 1965, during the fourth centenary of the Christianization of the Philippines, Pope Paul VI elevated the church to the rank of minor basilica.