Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo

The feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo is celebrated every January 9 along with the weekly Friday Novena Masses. Many devotees and those asking for Divine intervention attend the feast of the Black Nazarene. At the feast of the Black Nazarene, the procession commemorates the Traslacion or the transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo. A very popular person that I know who has a great devotion to the Black Nazarene was former Vice President Noli De Castro.

The Black Nazarene is a life-sized, dark-colored, wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ, believed to be miraculous by many Filipino devotees. It is known as “Nuestro Padré Jesús Nazareno” in Spanish and “Our Father Jesus Nazarene” in English. The original color of the statue is fair or light complexion and it turned dark after it was exposed to fire on its arrival from Mexico. The Black Nazarene is currently enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines. 

As always, when I pray to God, I pray for world peace, unity, and good health for everyone. I believe in the power of prayers no matter what religion you have. Let us respect one another, to the choice of religion, tradition, culture, or to whatever practice we do in our life. What matters most is how we live our lives meaningfully to contribute to the betterment of our community and country.

I am not a devotee of the Black Nazarene but I am very faithful to God. When it is the feast of the Black Nazarene, I am so happy to know that many people reached out to God and it reminds me of miraculous stories it brings to different kinds of people, rich or poor. The Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo is an event where you see different faces of people who have hopes, love, concern with their families, relatives, and friends, and those who have faith in God.