The Santo Niño in the Philippines

While the rest of the world commemorates today the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Philippines differs a bit. The Pearl of the Orient was given by the Holy See some special treatment to celebrate this day as the Feast of the Sto. Niño instead. This is all thanks to the centuries-old devotion of us Filipinos to the Child Jesus.

The Sto. Niño preserves the influence of the spanish era in the Philippines.  The Sto. Niño is otherwise called the "Holy Child" by the American religious orders that followed the colonization by the United States.  here are some American pieces that the Christian Brothers taught together with the Catechism of Christian Doctrine.

CHILD S MORNING HYMN

Jesus, teach me how to pray,
Send distractions far away,
Suffer not my thoughts to stray,
Sweet Holy Child.

Let me not be rude or wild,
Make me humble, meek, and mild,
Pure as angels undefiled,
Sweet Holy Child.

When I work or when I play,
Be Thou with me through the day,
Teach me what to do and say,
Sweet Holy Child.

Make me love Thy Mother blest,
Safe beneath her care to rest,
As a bird within its nest,
Sweet Holy Child.

When the hour of death is nigh,
May Mary, Joseph, standing by,
Take me in their arms to die,
Sweet Holy Child.

So through all eternity
Will I bless their charity
Who first led my steps to Thee,
Sweet Holv Child

HEART OF THE HOLY CHILD

Heart of the Holy Child
Hide me in Thee ;
Purest and undefiled,
Purify me ;
Joy of my infant life,
Far from evil passions rife,
Troubling this world of strife,
Keep me with Thee!

Sweet Child of Bethlehem,
Open Thine heart;
Lessons from Nazareth
Deign to impart.
Mary and Joseph dear,
Let us be to Jesus near,
With you, we shall not fear
From Him to part.

PHOTO: Sto. Niño  Jesus de Praga