From ‘Little Italy’

By Jocelyn R. Uy

According to Abaco, the grand occasion will bring to mind how Pandacan—previously depicted as “Little Italy” for its many estuaries leading into the Pasig River—became a “Little Nazareth” to a centuries-old wooden image of the Holy Child that was found among clumps of vegetation by a muddy pool where carabaos wallowed.

As the story is told, sometime in the 17th century a group of children playing in the sleepy barrio suddenly spotted a mahogany image of the Sto. Niño among some pandan reeds that thrived near a waterhole.

In his book, “The Child of the Pandan Reeds: The Spiritual Journey of the Santo Niño de Pandacan Parish,” Abaco quoted a passage from a narrative by historian Ricardo Mendoza:

“The children were startled and [they] stopped playing, then admiringly gazed at the small and beautiful image. In a moment, they all felt terrified, and some knelt and prayed because it crossed their mind that this may be the image of the Holy Child.”