Touring the Otherworld
Jysmon Sean Philippine Travel - Philippine Wide a, a It would not seem so from immediate appearances but Cebu is steep in spirituality. It would take an amount of sensitivity to realize it but one could tour this island not just for its physical destinations. One could also take in the spiritual world with its own vistas and sites. The nature of local religiosity is something quite noteworthy. Catholicism came here in 1600 with the establishment of local Spanish settlements. Before these there had been the practice of Islam and Animism. Catholicism eventually took deep root but even so, many of the old animist practices persist in a system of mythologies, belief systems and rituals that are practiced to this day. The Catholic faith is quite easy to appreciate. The city celebrates the Sinulog in January, every year. Sinulog is a ritual dance traditionally performed at the door of the Sto. Nino Basilica. The dancer raises candles to the air while dancing to a tem...