The Black Nazarene ‘Traslacion’

My memories of the Black Nazarene go back when I was a young girl. It was my father who had the devotion. He was a provincial boy, the son of a fisherman who made good in Manila. He became a banker, a movie producer and had many successes. As a businessman he was among the first to open mining sites in Paracale, Camarines Sur and traded copra with Japan.

You would think that with his experiences in business he would have no time or use for religious rituals. But every Friday he would wake up early to go to Quiapo, inching his way on bended knee from the door of church to the altar.

I have gone to Quiapo when I was younger but never close enough to understand why there should be so much devotion for the statue itself among Filipinos especially men. Jaime Laya, the historian said it was idolatry and another historian said it may have been around since pre-Christian times.

Since I see it only in pictures surrounded by crowds, I do not really know what it looks like.

Here’s a description from Wikipedia: “The Black Nazarene’s head wears a braided wig made of dyed abaca, along with a golden crown of thorns. Attached to the crown are the traditional “Tres Potencias” (“three powers”) halo, symbolizing the three powers of the Holy Trinity. These three rayos (“rays”) are used exclusively for Christ in traditional Filipino and Hispanic iconography; it is an angular variant of the cruciform halo. The Quiapo image has lost several fingers over the years.

The barefoot image is shown in a genuflecting posture, symbolizing the agony and the weight of the cross with the pain Christ endured during his Passion. The image bears a large, black cross of wood tipped with gilt brass caps.

The image is dressed in a heavy velvet tunic of maroon, embroidered with floral or plant emblems in gold thread, and accented with lace collar and cuffs. Around the waist is a gold-plated metal belt embossed with the word “NAZARENO,” while a golden chain and ball looped around the neck and held in its left hand represents the Scourging.

The procession is called Traslacion, meaning to transfer the image from one church, a copy from San Nicolas de Tolentino in Intramuros to another. It is escorted by marshals in yellow who lift the Black Nazarene to its ándas at the start of the Traslación. The peana or base of the image can be seen under the hem of its robes.

The traslacion happens every Jan. 9, to commemorate the “solemn transfer.” Crowds up to 12 million join the transfer. This solemn transfer is not known by many devotees. It is thought to as “The Feast of Quiapo or the “Feast of the Black Narazene.” Although  Jan. 9 iswhen the Traslacion has a festive celebration it is not the fiesta in Quiapo. The Black Nazarene’s “feast day” is the commemoration of Good Friday. The diocese of Quiapo’s actual feast day is June 24 on Manila Day. The actual patron of Quiapo church is the feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist.

Before the traslacion, the Black Nazarene leaves the Minor Basilica a day or two before the annual procession. Since 2016, the procession begins at around 05:30 a.m. PST (GMT+8) after a solemn Midnight Mass at the Quirino Grandstand (usually presided by the rector of the Minor Basilica but with the Archbishop of Manila preaching the sermon), followed hours later by morning prayer of the liturgy of the hours. It ends in Quiapo in late night of the same day or early the following morning, depending on how long the image has travelled. Some participants choose to wait for the image inside the Minor Basilica to greet it, while most devotees walk throughout the whole processional route.

All devotees wear maroon and yellow like the image, and they walk barefoot as a form of penance and in emulation of Christ’s walk to Golgotha. Authorities estimate that over 500,000 devotees strode barefoot in the 2013 procession, which was attended by nine million people.

The image was made by an anonymous Mexican sculptor. It was brought to Manila via galleon from Acapulco, Mexico on May 31, 1606.

Traditional accounts attribute the color to votive candles burning before the image, although the most widespread belief is that it was charred by a fire on the galleon that brought it from Mexico.

The Black Nazarene is borne in procession on the Ándas, and traditionally only men were permitted to be namámasán (“bearers”).

The Black Nazarene idol attracts millions of Catholic devotees. They push their way in to touch or use a towel to touch the image carriers and the image. It is said that doing that makes them entitled to a blessing from the image. Apart from the Black Nazarene, the Santo Nino are the two most popular among Filipino devotees. Beyond the procession, every Friday, the image of the Black Nazarene is venerated by Filipino devotees.

In 2011, over six million Catholic devotees flocked to the Black Nazarene procession.

Jaime Laya, the historian says it is idolatry but adds it may be a continuation of possibly pre-Christian local ritual practices. Elizabeth Pisares, another historian says also that it is idolatry.

Many devotees of the Black Nazarene relate their poverty and daily struggles to the Passion of Christ as represented by the image. You certainly will not find society people from Makati.

Interestingly it is also thought of as a display of “the social disparities among Filipino.” Monsignor of Quiapo, Jose Clemente Ignacio, said“the procession and devotion is not idolatry, rather it is a reflection of “Filipino trait to want to wipe, touch, kiss, or embrace sacred objects if possible,”and it is just a belief in “the presence of the Divine in sacred objects and places.”

Consequently motorists are warned not to travel to of Manila every Jan. 9 might be difficult as heavy traffic is expected.

There were no cell sites on that day in Manila so communication between businesses was disrupted. Not even modern communications can stop the practice of the procession of the Black Nazarene.

Crowds up to 12 million join the transfer.