PGMA gifts the Pope with a Santo Niño Dormido
MANILA, June 5, 2007—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gifted the Pope Benedict XVI, with an image of the Santo Niño Dormido (sleeping Sto. Nino) when she paid her respects to his Holiness on June 5 at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City, according to media sources.
The image of the sleeping Sto. Niño was made of elephant ivory and was handcrafted between the 1970s and 1980s. It’s "tapis" was of solid gold and has "tres potencies" and a waistband made of solid silver.
The Sto. Niño reflects the Filipino people’s great emphasis in nurturing children and their appreciation of the value of life. It had been revered by the Filipinos as early as when the Spanish "conquistadores" invaded the Philippines.
The sleeping Sto. Niño image was placed in a dainty white box when the President presented it to the Pope after their one-on-one meeting at the Holy Father’s library.
In turn, the Pontiff gifted the President with a big Medal of the Pontificate.
The President was ushered into the Pope’s library through halls displaying the rich artwork of famous Italian artists. The leader of the third largest Catholic country in the world and the head of the Catholic Church met for 10 minutes at the Holy Father’s library.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said the President briefed the Pope on the gains in the Philippine economy and the government’s efforts to put an end to extrajudicial killings as well as on the May 14 midterm elections.
Secretary Romulo said the Pope, in turn, once again gave his blessings to the President and to the Filipino people.
The meeting between the President and his Holiness took place a year after President Arroyo’s last visit to the Vatican City in June 2006.
After her audience with the Holy Father, the President met with the Secretary of the Vatican State, his Eminence Tarciso Cardinal Bertone. (Santosh Digal)