| The Black Nazarene Nuestro Padré Jesús Nazareno Itim na Nazareno |
|
|---|---|
| Location | Quiapo, Manila, Philippines |
| Date | 31 May 1606 |
| Type | Wooden statue |
| Shrine | Basilica of the Black Nazarene |
The Black Nazarene, known to devotees as (Spanish: Nuestro Padré Jesús Nazareno) ("Our Father Jesus Nazarene") in English, is a life-sized, dark-coloured, wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ, believed to be miraculous by many Filipino devotees. Originally a statue with fair or light complexion, it turned dark after it was exposed to fire on its arrival from Mexico. The statue is currently enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines, where the Feast of the Black Nazarene is celebrated every January 9 along with the weekly Friday Novena Masses.
Contents |
The statue's original carver is an anonymous Mexican carpenter, and the image arrived in the Islands via galleon from Acapulco, Mexico. Folk tradition attributes the colour of the Black Nazarene to a fire on the ship carrying it, charring the image from its original fair tone into its present dark complexion.
There were two identical images of Black Nazarene brought into Manila. The first and most famous one was kept at the Church of Saint Nicholas de Tolentino in Bagumbayan and later transfered to Intramuros when the old edifice was demolished. This Black Nazarene was part of the celebrated Palm Sunday Procession in the old walled city. Sad to say, this statue perished during the liberation of Manila in February 1945.
The other statue was given by the Recollects to the Church of Quiapo. Often, it has been mistaken that this is identical to the lost image of the Intramuros. Every 9th of January Devotees flock to the Basilica for the Annual Feast of the Black Nazarene. The procession that ensued takes several hours to negotiate the narrow streets of Quiapo and gives an appearance of sea of mankind. On ordinary times of the year, Friday is known as Quiapo Day. The Sick and those asking for Divine intervention go to the shrine on the said day.
In a move to protect the centuries old image from effects of processions, the Fathers of Quiapo decided to commission a replica of the Black Nazarene. As a result, the Head and the Hands were placed on the new body while the old torso holds a new head. Both images are brought out for processions albeit alternating every other year.
The religious veneration of the Black Nazarene is rooted among Filipinos for the Passion of Jesus Christ. Many devotees of the Black Nazarene identify their poverty and daily struggles to the wounds and tribulations experienced by Jesus, as represented by the image. Although the patron saint of the basilica itself is Saint John the Baptist, the Black Nazarene ranks first in popularity due to its mass appeal.
Commonly known as its original Spanish title Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, the statue has merited the canonical sanction of Pope Pius VII who gave his Apostolic Blessing in the 19th century thereby granting plenary indulgence to those who piously pray before the statue.
Devotees also pay homage to the Black Nazarene by clapping their hands in praise at the end of Mass offered at the shrine.
Every Friday of the year is dedicated to the Black Nazarene, with the novena being held not only in the basilica but in other churches nationwide. This has led to the colloquial expression "Quiapo Day" for Fridays, especially when referring to the traffic jams that occur around the area due to the influx of devotees attending Masses that start in the early morning and end in the late hours of the night.
Two major and two minor processions are held annually to honour the Black Nazarene, namely one on the feast day itself and another on Good Friday. The procession during the January 9 feast commemorates the Traslacion, or the transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo.
The Black Nazarene is carried into the streets for procession in a shoulder-borne carriage known to devotees as the andas. The estimated number of devotees wear the colour maroon, associated with the image, and go barefoot in imitation of Jesus on his way to Mount Calvary. Traditionally, men are the only ones permitted to hold the ropes pulling the image's carriage, but in recent years female devotees also participate in the procession. These rope pullers are called traditionally as the namamasan by devotees. People who have touched the Black Nazarene are reported to have been cured of their diseases, and Catholics come from all over Manila to touch the image in the hopes of a miracle. Towels or handkerchiefs are hurled to the marshals and escorts guarding the Black Nazarene with requests to wipe these on the statue in hopes of the miraculous powers attributed to it "rubbing off" on the cloth articles.
The procession held on the feast day is notorious for the annual casualties that result from the jostling and congestion of the crowds engaged in pulling the carriage. The injuries and even deaths of devotees are brought upon by one or a combination of heat, fatigue, or being trampled upon by other devotees.
Below are the lyrics of the National Hymn composed by Lucio San Pedro, which is used by the Quiapo church as the main hymn to the Black Nazarene.
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, (Our Father Jesus Nazarene,)
Sinasamba Ka namin (We worship Thee)
Pinipintuho Ka namin (We admire Thee)
Aral Mo ang aming buhay (For Thy teachings are our life)
at Kaligtasan. (and Salvation.)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene,)
Iligtas Mo kami sa Kasalanan (Deliver us from Sin)
Ang Krus Mong Kinamatayan ay (For the Cross Thou died on is)
Sagisag ng aming Kaligtasan. (The Emblem of our Salvation)
Chorus:
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, (Our Father Jesus Nazarene,)
Dinarangal Ka namin! (We honour Thee!)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, (Our Father Jesus Nazarene,)
Nilul'walhati Ka namin! (We glorify Thee!)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, (Our Father Jesus Nazarene,)
Dinarangal Ka namin! (We honour Thee!)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, (Our Father Jesus Nazarene,)
Nilul'walhati Ka namin! (We glorify Thee!)
Each year, the procession of the Black Nazarene makes its way along the streets of the Quiapo district, with attendees reaching up to a million. In recent years, the processional route was altered due to a rise in vehicular and stampede accidents, and to afford other neighbourhoods a chance to participate in the festivities.
As is custom, the statue of the Nazarene leaves the Quiapo church (publicly or secretly the night before) and returns to the church on the same day. Many participants either follow the route, or simply wait inside the church to greet the statue. The task of pulling the ropes of the carroza is traditionally exclusive to male devotees, while all devotees present wear the image's colour of maroon. Noli de Castro, a renowned television journalist and former Vice-President, is known to be a life-long devotee of the image, and is always seen among the throng of men pulling the carroza.
Filipinos overseas have adopted a similar procession and Mass in honour of the Black Nazarene statue in countries such as Australia and the United States. A copy of the image is paraded through the streets or within the parish vicinity, with devotees following and reciting prayers as in the Philippines.