The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), through The Kabilin Center (TKC), in partnership with SM City Cebu, launches the “Treasures of Devotion” exhibit located at the Northwing, SM City Cebu on January 8, 2024.
Treasures of Devotion is a virtual exhibition of religious objects or objects of devotion. Through photo and video documentation, the religious objects found in diocesan and parish museums and private collections in Cebu were catalogued, unearthing layers of memories and experiences accrued by generations of believers and discovering stories of faith and devotion as shown, shaped, and sustained by these religious artifacts.
The exhibit was produced through a collaboration of partners—the Archdiocese of Cebu, Office for the Initiatives in Culture and the Arts of the University of the Philippines Cebu and RAFI TKC—in commemoration of the 500 years of the introduction of Christianity to Cebu.
The exhibit at SM City Cebu, however, will bring Cebuano audience closer to the devotions by presenting the exhibit in a tangible manner, through a physical translation of the exhibit as well as in an interactive manner, using technical/media gadgets.
The exhibit will be complemented with different images of the Santo Niño de Cebu to connect the exhibit with the Sinulog celebration. The gifting of the Santo Niño de Cebu during the baptism of some 800 Cebuanos in 1521 introduced the Catholic faith and began the different religious devotions and traditions of Filipinos.
The different Santo Niño images and other tangible religious objects featured in the exhibit are on loaned from The Heritage of Faith Museum of Cansojong, Talisay.
It is hoped that through the exhibit, Cebuanos will appreciate their religious treasures in their midst, especially for their historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic significance, and will lead to the protection and preservation of both tangible and intangible religious heritage.
The Kabilin Center promotes enjoyment, awareness and appreciation of culture through art experiences with the aim of enriching the lives of people. It is one of the programs of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. – Culture & Heritage Unit (RAFI).
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