Feast of the Black Nazarene

The popular Feast of the Black Nazarene is one of the most significant festivals in the Philippines and is held on the 9th of January as well as on Good Friday.

The feast is marked by one of the biggest processions in the whole country and is observed in Manila, in a location known as Quiapo. The history of the feast can be dated back to the 17th Century. The statue of Jesus was brought to the country’s capital, Manila, in 1606.

Feast of the Black Nazarene

Image courtesy of incrediblethots

Since Jesus was from Nazareth, and the sculptures carried were black in color, the event was aptly named Feast of the Black Nazarene. One of the most common features of this event is the presence of devout locals walking barefoot. This, it is believed, is meant to show that one has embraced humility as a way of life, and it is a sort of penance.

But here’s the interesting part – the event is not actually a feast. In fact, the only reason it’s called that is that the media and politicians have referred to it as a feast over the last several years. The proper term is Traslación – the solemn transfer of the copy of the image from San Nicolás de Tolentino chapel to Quiapo church. The actual feast happens on June 24th.

The route that the devotees take has changed over the past few years, due to structural obstacles like bridges and because of the rise in accidents. Additionally, a change in route allowed other neighborhoods to participate in this event.

As you can imagine, nothing that is located in the procession route is accessible during the Translación. Which makes perfect sense, considering that hundreds of thousands and even millions of people are on the streets, carrying the statue. In 2013, it was estimated that over half a million people participated in the event, while there are regularly millions of others who are on the street and observing from the sides!

The event normally begins at 5:30 AM and lasts well into the night, sometimes even into the morning of the next day. Some people choose to walk the entire procession, while others choose to wait in the chapel to greet the statues.

Everyone within the vicinity of the procession attempts to touch the sculpture. This is a key facet of the feast as the locals believe that doing so will create the appropriate environment for a miracle. The tradition has been passed on from one generation to another ever since the sculpture of Jesus was delivered to the Philippines in the 17th century.