The Plaza Housing Gazette

The Church of Santinology is going to hold an extravagant thanksgiving celebration this coming February 5, with different events to be taking place in Metro Manila and in the town of Bagoong Pag-Asa, Pampanga. The event is going to bring all Santinologists, celebrity and non-celebrity alike, to a day of merry-making and thanksgiving.

The celebration is going to kick off with a religious procession in Bagoong Pag-Asa, where the sect was established last year. After the procession at 3 a.m., a healing service will be conducted by the sect’s founder, Zaijan “Santino” Jaranilla, a child visionary-healer, along with the priests who broke away from the Catholic Church to join Jaranilla’s sect. Jaranilla will then join members in a community breakfast at 6 a.m., and will later leave for QC to conduct a prayer rally 8:30 a.m. at ABS-CBN.

Around midday, the showbiz members of the sect will stage a thanksgiving parade, starting from Quezon City Circle up to ABS-CBN. The parade will feature various floats depicting the sect’s colorful history and a collegiate band will lead the parade.

After the parade, two of the sect’s prominent Santinologists, Dolphy and Nida Blanca, will lead a political rally along Mother Ignacia Avenue, where ABS-CBN is located. Later at 7 p.m., popular Santinologists will perform at the thanksgiving concert at the Quirino Grandstand. Santinologists Charise, Arnel Pineda of the band Journey, Martin Nievera, Toni Gonzaga, comedy concert queen Ai Ai Delas Alas, Rayver Cruz, Maja Salvador and heartthrob Sam Milby are among those who will perform at the concert.

The celebration, expected to draw a million followers, is poised as a security headache for the authorities. The Philippine National Police (PNP) will deploy 50,000 cops around venues where the events are going to be held. Also, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will provide security details to important members of the sect. The National Bureau of Investigation (CIDG) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will also help provide security measures after receiving reports that rival sect The Temple of Goddess Darna will disrupt the event. Sniffing dogs, fire trucks, and bomb squad will also be brought to key locations.

The Church of Santinology is the country’s equivalent to the Church of Scientology, Kaballah, and Agape in the United States, where showbiz personalities also make up the prominent membership. Prominent Santinologists also includes starlet Krista Ranillo, Judy Ann Santos, Gloria Romero, EJ Falcom, Makisig Morales, Rosanna Roces, Gabby Concepcion, Maricar Reyes, Vhong Navarro, Anne Curtis, Wendy Valdez, and KC Concepcion.

The sect, established last year, tried to operate as a Catholic movement, such as the Opus Dei, Catholic Youth Organization, El Shaddai and the Knights of Columbus. Jaranilla and some monks went to the Vatican to get the Pope’s approval, but was rebuffed on the ground that some of its teachings are contrary to the Catholic Church. Jaranilla tried to get his group affiliated with major Protestant denominations and the Iglesia ni Cristo. After futile efforts, Jaranilla decided to break away from mainline Christianity and establish his own Christian church. However, Jaranilla is always open to the idea of returning to the fold of the Catholic Church.