TWO days since the massive fire that engulfed the Sto. Niño de Pandacan Parish church, all that was found from the 400-year-old image of the child Jesus are His burned vestment and some accessories.
In a statement, Sto. Niño de Pandacan Parish Priest Sanny de Claro said they have found several accessories of the image as well as the vestment that the child Jesus was wearing underneath the charred remnants of the church.
“Yesterday, July 11, underneath the thick charcoals, found was one of the three tres potencias, or the rays of our patron, half of which was melted. Later on, the globe and the cross He was holding were also found, as well as His andador, or the support to the body of the image, propped over the book, where it was placed,” said De Claro.
“Also found was the exact vestment worn by the Sto. Niño when the fire took place,” he added.
There was no word yet as to the status of the Sto. Niño image.
The priest, however, disclosed that the image was inside the chapel in the convent when the fire broke out last Friday afternoon.
“The fire spread quickly, and even those who were staying in the parish were only able to save the clothes they were wearing,” said De Claro.
Also found underneath the rubble were the ciborium as well as the Sacred Host inside the tabernacle that was located in the altar. De Claro said the remnants were found mixed with other charred materials.
De Claro said the ciborium and the Sacred Host are temporarily under the care of the San Fernando de Dilao Parish Church in Paco, Manila.
Last Friday, a fire that reached third alarm engulfed the Sto. Niño de Pandacan Parish church as well as its convent.
Despite the tragedy, De Claro said the Sto. Niño de Pandacan Parish church will always remain as the home of the image of the child Jesus.
“The Sto. Niño will always be here, fully and completely, inside all of us,” he said.
The priest urged parishioners to not be in despair and gripped with sadness with the burning of the image and the church as they will be rising together.
“The remnants of the fire, along with the items used during the Holy Mass that were spared from the fire will be planted for them to grow. We will rise again,” said De Claro.