Editing Cebu (section)

====Catholicism====
[[File:Original Image of the Santo Niño de Cebu.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The original image of [[Santo Niño de Cebú]], an image of the Child Jesus given by [[Ferdinand Magellan]] to Queen Juana and to the [[Cebuanos]] after the First Baptism, now enshrined at the Minor Basilica.]]

The majority of its population are [[Roman Catholicism in the Philippines|Roman Catholic]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cebu.gov.ph/?getid=2&getsubid=24&infolinkids=26&GetBodyName=Culture%20and%20Lifestyle&rightpdisable=0 |title=Cebu – Paradise: Culture and Lifestyle |publisher=Cebu Provincial Government |access-date=December 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719055833/http://www.cebu.gov.ph/?getid=2&getsubid=24&infolinkids=26&GetBodyName=Culture%20and%20Lifestyle&rightpdisable=0 |archive-date=July 19, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> followed by roughly 95% of Cebuanos.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Religious Affiliation in the Philippines (2020 Census of Population and Housing) |publisher= Philippine Statistics Authority |url=https://psa.gov.ph/content/religious-affiliation-philippines-2020-census-population-and-housing |access-date=2023-09-28 }}</ref> There are also followers of [[Iglesia Filipina Independiente]], [[Islam]], [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]]. The increasing members of the [[Iglesia ni Cristo]] in the province has 3 subdivided district (Bogo City, Carcar City and Cebu City) chapels, dominating each cities and towns, while barrio chapels have 2-3% presence in the entire province.

Cebu is the capital of the Catholic faith{{sfn|Bautista|2006}} by virtue of being the first Christian city,{{sfn|Blair|Robertson|Vol 2|page=121}} the first capital of the [[Spanish East Indies]], and the birthplace of [[Christianity in the Philippines|Christianity]] and the Philippine Church. [[Pope John Paul II]], in his Homily for Families in Cebu (February 19, 1981), called the island as the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1981/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19810219_famiglie_en.html|title=19 February 1981: Mass for families, Cebu City, Philippines – John Paul II|access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref> At over 3,000,000 adherents, the province of Cebu has the highest number of Roman Catholics out of any province in the Philippines.<ref name=":0" />

The image of ''Santo Niño de Cebú'' (Holy Child of Cebu), the oldest Christian image in the Philippines, is enshrined and venerated at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. According to Philippine historical documents, the statue of the Santo Niño (Holy Child) was given to Queen Humamay (also referred to as Hara Amihan and Queen Juana), the wife of Rajah Humabon (also referred to as Rajah Carlos), the Rajah of Cebu by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The Cebuanos' acceptance of Christianity is depicted in Cebu's cultural event, the [[Sinulog]] where street parades and loud drum beats preceded by a Christian Mass is celebrated every third Sunday of January. Cebu has a [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu|Roman Catholic Archdiocese]] and has several major churches, including the [[Basilica del Santo Niño|Basilica Minor del Santo Niño de Cebu]], [[Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral]], Santo Rosario Parish Church, San José–Recoletos Church, Sacred Heart Church, Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rule, [[Mandaue Church|National Shrine of Saint Joseph of Mandaue]], Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe of Cebu, San Nicolas de Tolentino Church, [[Boljoon Church|Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santissima of Boljoon]], and other Christian churches, as well as several other non-Catholic churches, mosques and temples.
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