Some 200 years ago when it was brought to Manila by Augustinian Recollect Friars on May 31, 1606, the statue or image of the Black Nazarene, also known as the Black Christ, continue to attract millions of devotees.
The Quiapo Basilica, the seat of the much revered statue was once again teeming with unprecedented numbers of devotees.
According to reports, an estimated 8 million flocked to Manila, January 9, to get a glimpse, touch or simply went with the procession that broke all records of previous celebrations.
This despite a warning from President Noynoy Aquino about an intelligence report of an impending terrorists attack out to disrupt the biggest religious event of the year.
As expected, some 400 or so persons were hurt in stampedes, jostling for positions amid the frenzy to get near or climb into the
float containing the religious icon to have their cloth touch the any part of the Nazarene.
And for the first time also, the procession which originated from the Luneta grandstand near Manila bay slowly winded its way to the Quiapo church in a record 22 hours when it only took six to eight hours in previous years.
The distance from the point of origin to Quiapo church, which is the procession route is actually only five (5) kilometers.
It started at 8:00am January 9, but ended some 22 hours later at
6:00am the next morning of January 10 at the Quiapo church where it is housed permanently.
Experts and historian are baffled by the mystery behind the Filipino’s intense devotion to the Black Nazarene. Matter of fact, Filipinos consider the “Nazareno “ as the cure all and the last resort of all their problems be it financial, physical or medical and even love life.
This uniquely Filipino devotion and the mystique behind it had caught the attention of two Popes, Innocent X in 1650 who issued a Papal Bull establishing the Cofradia De Jesus Nazareno and the other was Pope Pius VII who granted an indulgence for those who pray before the image of the Nazarene in Quiapo.
Quiapo Church parish priest Monsignor Clemente Ignacio said despite what some described as “excessive fanaticism “ of Filipinos’ adulation of the Black Nazarene, it is nevertheless a “sign of a deepening devotion despite the many hardships suffered by many Filipinos.”
Only a few weeks before Christmas in 2011, Filipinos woke up to the devastating fury and ravaging effects of flash floods triggered by typhoon “Sendong “ in Northern Mindanao, killing at least more than 1,000 persons and thousands more missing up to this day.
In Cagayan de Oro, where a replica of the statue is also paraded every January 9, Cagayanos, who were the hardest hit, ignored their grim situation and proceeded with their own observance of the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
Such is the undying faith of the Filipino.
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IT ALSO HAPPENS EVERY YEAR: Predictably, every coming of a new year in the Philippines is greeted with a big bang…yes, the
thing we call “firecrackers “indispensable in every household to ring in the new year.
And it’s also this time that hospitals are busy, filled to the rafters
to treat people hurt or maimed by these explosives. In some cases, some end up in the morgue.
This year 2012, the number of deaths is about 10 persons while
there are an estimated 1,200 injured by a growing list of new firecrackers that are equally if not powerful than traditional ones like the triangulo, bawang, or super lolo.
Now they have new and “improved “explosives with peculiar or morbid sounding names. They are illegal as they are well beyond the limit of the allowed weight in grams of gunpowder or nitrate contents.
They have such names like “Piccollo” which is of course not an Italian dish, “Goodbye Philippines “ is not a form of farewell but is one of the most powerful firecracker responsible for most of the injuries; “PlaPla “ is not a fish called Tilapia but a huge “triangulo” Bin Laden “ is not the dead terrorist leader and there is the newest and powerful of them all, the “Good bye Bading “but he or she is not your sexy gay friend but a firecracker they describe as
“tumitili muna “ (letting off a shrill scream)before it finally explode with a big noise ! ano fahhhh!
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WELCOME ABOARD! To our colleague, Romeo Marquez is our new Balita columnist. Formerly a Bureau Chief of the German News Agency in Manila, Romy is a veteran newsman and has served as foreign correspondent for many international news organizations.
In Manila, Romy and this writer belonged to a group dubbed as “
The Yakuza Press “ because most of its members served as stringers, correspondents and photographers for a number of Japanese media agencies and newspapers and networks.
Romy used to write for the Asahi Shimbun, one of the biggest news organizations in Japan while I served as stringer correspondent for Mainichi Broadcasting Network and Nihon Denpa News.
Romy brings with him an extensive experience in news gathering and reporting.
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MILESTONES: Happy birthdays to Kevin Obtinario and Nila Soriano (Jan.17), Jennifer Urbe(Jan.10),Eugene Soriano (Jan.11),
Teresa M.Torralba (Jan.23) and Gabrielle (Arielle) S.Soriano (Jan28).
