Kinabayo Festival
Dapitan City, 25 July
An exotic and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish wars, particularly the Battle of Covadonga where the Spanish forces under General Pelagio took their last stand against Saracen. They were able to reverse the tide through the miraculous apparition of St. James. The addition of local color and innovation has made this annual revelry a popular attraction which brings thousands of visitors to the city.
Held every July 24, the City of Dapitan celebrates the Kinabayo Festival. Kinabayo Festival is an exotic and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish wars, particularly the Battle of Covadonga. The addition of local color and innovations has made this annual festivity a popular attraction to visitors of Dapitan.
St. James, the Greater is the patron saint of Dapitan City. Earlier on into the Spanish rule, Dapitan was still flooded by Moro pirates. The Jesuit priests fatefully set up St. James, to protect the Dapitanons from an attack of invaders. It was believed that in the fifth century, an apparition of St. James, atop a horse carrying a sword, guided the Spansih
Christians into victory over the Moors in the Battle of Covadonga. Three centuries later, St. James still plays a significant part in the Dapitanons’ lives. For the past three years the Kinabayo Festival of Dapitan has been celebrated by city folk centering on his feast day, July 25. On that day a magnificent re-enactment of the Battle of Covadonga is unfurled before the city folks and tourists.
Dapitan City, 25 July
An exotic and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish wars, particularly the Battle of Covadonga where the Spanish forces under General Pelagio took their last stand against Saracen. They were able to reverse the tide through the miraculous apparition of St. James. The addition of local color and innovation has made this annual revelry a popular attraction which brings thousands of visitors to the city.
Held every July 24, the City of Dapitan celebrates the Kinabayo Festival. Kinabayo Festival is an exotic and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish wars, particularly the Battle of Covadonga. The addition of local color and innovations has made this annual festivity a popular attraction to visitors of Dapitan.
St. James, the Greater is the patron saint of Dapitan City. Earlier on into the Spanish rule, Dapitan was still flooded by Moro pirates. The Jesuit priests fatefully set up St. James, to protect the Dapitanons from an attack of invaders. It was believed that in the fifth century, an apparition of St. James, atop a horse carrying a sword, guided the Spansih
Christians into victory over the Moors in the Battle of Covadonga. Three centuries later, St. James still plays a significant part in the Dapitanons’ lives. For the past three years the Kinabayo Festival of Dapitan has been celebrated by city folk centering on his feast day, July 25. On that day a magnificent re-enactment of the Battle of Covadonga is unfurled before the city folks and tourists.
