WHO ARE WE?

 We would like to introduce to you our growing Visayan-Filipino Catholic Community of North Carolina. We have been celebrating the Feast of Santo Nino de Cebu and Sinulog Festival since 2016. The Festival commemorates the start of Christianity in the province of Cebu, Philippines with the arrival of the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who brought with him the image of Santo Niño (the Holy child Jesus).  

For the first two years, the Sinulog Festival was celebrated in a Visayan community member's home and was exclusively for members only; the nine-day novena to Santo Nino was likewise celebrated in different members' homes. 

In 2018, we rented a dance hall for its first public celebration. And 2019 was a pivotal year in which the community grew in number, and the first Mass as the highlight of the festival was held at St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Apex. Rev. Fr. Marcos Leon-Angulo presided at that Mass and became the community’s spiritual adviser. The Mexican communities of Butner and Durham joined the festival that year and presented their cultural-religious performance.

 The year 2020 saw a dramatic increase in attendees, with the same talented Mexican Community and an overwhelming number of other Filipino communities from Wendell, Asheville, High Point, Rocky Mount and Havelock. 

   In 2021 and 2022, the Sinulog Festival was held at St. Mary Magdalene in Apex, with Rev. Fr. Chris Koehn as the Parish Pastor. The pandemic has not dampened the community members’ spirits; in fact, it has made us more resolute in giving our best for the success of the Sinulog Festival.  
The Sinulog Festival this year 2023 which was held last Jan. 21, had the biggest number of guests and volunteers coming from across the State, and outside of North Carolina. The Holy Mass was Celebrated by His Excellency Bishop Luis  Rafael Zarama with concelebrants Padre’ Leon, Father Chris Koehn, Monsignor Donald Staib, and Fr. Archie Yacat, assisted by Deacon Dev Lobo.
Aside from the Visayan-Filipino Sinulog Dancers, and the three different groups of dancers from the Mexican Community, who have continued to show their support to the Sinulog in the past few years, there was the CFC Youth-Kids for Christ with their traditional Sinulog dance, and the Filipino Association of Performing Artists (FAPA) who showcased the diverse cultural dances of the Philippines.
The Festival ended with Kaymis Band performing live original Filipino music.  As we the Visayan-Filipino Catholic Community of North Carolina continue to celebrate the Sinulog Festival annually, we hope to promote awareness to future generations of Filipino-Americans, and to the general public of the history, and significance of the Sinulog Festival,  as well as our cultural identity as Visayan-Filipino Catholics in North Carolina.  

 by: Mrs. Carol Muego