Itim na Nazareno

Inaasahang mahigit sa walong milyong deboto ang dadagsa sa taunang prusisyon ng Itim na Nazareno sa Enero 9 (bukas) sa Quiapo, Manila, gayundin sa Samar, Bicol, Cebu at Cagayan de Oro, na inaasahang dadaluhan ng may hanggang limang milyong Pinoy.

The Black Nazarene  procession  commemorates the Traslacion (transfer) of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo.Carved by an anonymous Mexican carpenter, the image of the Holy Nazarene came to  the Philiipines from Mexico in 1606 and was originally enshrined in the first Recollect Church in Bagumbayan (now called Luneta or Rizal Park), before it was transferred,. two years later, to the second Recollect Church of San Nicolas de Tolentino in Itramuros, and, finally,  to its present location in Quiapo Church between 1767 to 1770.

The Black Nazarene's image borne during the procession sits on a carriage and is pulled  by a long rope on both sides fronting the float or carriage. Millions of rope bearers or rope pullers risk exhaustion, over fatigued, injuries, even  death,   just to be able to touch the rope which most devotees claim miraculous. I am not completely sold  on the miraculous aspect of this event, but seeing the tired but determined expressions on the faces of the rope pullers swept me away. I was in awe the whole time I was watching them.