No Niño this year due to COVID-19

The Catholic Church’s tradition of bringing the statue of the Child Christ into homes during the holidays will not take place this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bishop Ryan P. Jimenez of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa informed the public last Nov. 28 that the traditional practice of bringing the image of Baby Jesus, locally called Niño, into homes will be canceled due to COVID-19, with churches around the islands practicing safety measures.

“I personally regret that our practice of bringing the images of the Child Jesus to homes this year cannot be undertaken for the sake of safety, but I urge all to be flexible and full of faith,” he said on the diocese’s website.

Every year for Christmas, New Year’s Day, the Feast of the Holy Family, and Three Kings, Catholics have a tradition of waiting to welcome the Niño into their homes after attending church, to signify welcoming the blessings and graces of the Prince of Peace.

Jimenez

The Niño usually visits either on Christmas Day, the Feast of the Holy Family (the Sunday after Christmas), Three Kings (Jan. 6), or New Year’s Day.

People usually also make an offering for the Church at the time of the Niño visitation. This year, without the visit, “I humbly suggest you make your offering when you visit Niño during the Sundays of Advent and Christmas,” said Jimenez.

Jimenez is thankful that churches have been able to reopen, but with restrictions. Churchgoers have also been obedient in following all the protocols in church. Jimenez is grateful to all who have “carefully, lovingly, and expertly” helped all of us to comply with the requirements set down for the churches. This includes the pastors, workers, and all faithful people who deserve thanks.

“That relieves me quite a lot because, as your servant-leader, your bishop, I would not have to become a kind of enforcer for the government safety plans or a voice which gets rejected,” said Jimenez.

Jimenez said that these are “extraordinary times” of human suffering and concern, that everyone is dealing with the effects of the pandemic in different ways. “We are aware that the economy has fallen here, especially since so much of it depends on tourism. Some of us, thankfully, have become more sensitive to the suffering around us,” he said, “[helping] to raise our social sensitivity about the value of life beyond ourselves and our families to include a wider community.”

“May all of us stay sensitive to our personal and community suffering this Advent, but receive and celebrate the blessings of virtuous holiness in our midst, staying flexible and with our hearts fixed on God’s will and uncompromised love for us,” said Jimenez.