Black Nazarene replicas procession Jan. 7
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sun, 06 Jan 2019 07:33:44 +0000
DEVOTEES carry a replica of the Black Nazarene image in front of the Quiapo Church on first Sunday of January 2019. Replicas of the Black Nazarene will be paraded and blessed Jan. 7, Monday. (Ali Vicoy)
AS a prelude to the much anticipated Traslacion of the revered Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno on Wednesday, Jan. 9, hundreds of replicas of the Black Nazarene will be paraded through the streets of Quiapo, Manila, at around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 7, by maroon clad devotees from different parts of the country.
Monsignor Hernando Coronel, rector of the Quiapo Church, will lead the blessing of the replicas after the procession.
Hundreds of devotees have been converging at the Quiapo Church (Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or St. John the Baptist Parish) since December 31 for the annual parish thanksgiving mass and procession, as well as to attend the novena masses at 6 p.m., which will be celebrated until January 8.
The afternoon procession of the replicas of the Nazareno on Jan. 7 “will showcase not only centuries-old personal collections of sacred images that have been cared for and passed on from generations of devotees but the Filipinos’ unwavering faith, trust, and devotion to the Black Nazarene,” organizers said.
Father Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of the Quiapo Church, said they are hoping for devotees “to have a more spiritual journey this year that will help strengthen and deepen their faith in the Black Nazarene. We also hope to highlight the mission and responsibilities of the devotees who are ‘called’ by Christ to be of service to others,” he said. “Reflections, catechesis, and the mass during the vigil at the Quirino Grandstand tomorrow will focus on the mission of Black Nazarene devotees,” Badong said.
On Jan. 8, devotees will gather at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, where the Black Nazarene will be brought for an overnight vigil and a series of activities including the “pahalik” before the early morning mass and grand procession that will bring the image back to the Quiapo Church on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Guillermo Eleazar said Sunday the 7,200-strong police force tasked to ensure the safety of the devotees for the procession were “all ready” and coordination with other agencies have been ironed out.
“All the coordination among the police, the military, the other agencies and even the government officials are very good so we expect that the conduct of Traslacion will be smooth-sailing,” Eleazar said. (with a report from Martin Sadongdong)