Black Nazarene: Sea of Humanity

A collection fo visual imagery

The image of the Black Nazarene is surrounded by a relentlessly swaying sea of humanity as it makes its way to the Quiapo Church during the traslacion, or the reenactment of the transfer of the image to the Quiapo Church from Intramuros in 1787. Braving a chilly morning drizzle, over a million devotees joined the festivities and grand procession of the revered Black Nazarene in Manila.   Some 1.3-million people were at the overnight vigil and attended the morning’s Mass at Quirino Grandstand while 500,000 other devotees who made their way bare-foot to Quiapo Church from various parts of the metropolis.  

 

Filipinos from all walks of life, most of them barefoot, endured more than 12 hours of relentless pushing and shoving to get a glimpse of and to touch the revered image of the Black Nazarene during the traditional traslacion. The wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ image of the Black Nazarene is a life-sized, dark-colored, which reportedly got its dark color in a fire that hit the Spanish galleon that was carrying it.  The Augustinian priests brought the image to Manila by in 1607. Hundreds and thousands of faithful clad in maroon and yellow cries and shouts of “Viva!” flocked around the black wooden image of Jesus Christ. The barefoot devotees climb on top of others in an to kiss, touch, or wipe bits of clothing on the blessed Black Nazarene.