Manila: In one of the world’s most spectacular displays of Catholic devotion, hundreds of thousands of barefoot devotees participated in the Philippines’ annual Black Nazarene procession on Thursday, honoring a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ.
The streets of Manila transformed into a sea of maroon and gold as devotees crowded around the life-sized statue of the Black Nazarene, a depiction of Jesus Christ carrying a cross. Participants jostled for a chance to pull the thick rope attached to the carriage bearing the statue as it was moved across the Philippine capital.
Organizers estimated that 220,000 people attended mass before the procession, with 94,500 devotees actively participating in the march by 8 a.m. (0000 GMT), with the number expected to rise as the procession moved along its 5.8 km (3.6-mile) route.
Devotees threw white towels at the statue, believing that touching it would bring blessings and healing. Marshals at the scene wiped the statue’s surface to allow as many people as possible to touch it.
With nearly 80% of Filipinos identifying as Roman Catholic—a legacy of more than 300 years of Spanish colonization—the Black Nazarene procession remains an important event in the nation’s religious calendar.
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The revered black color of the statue, crafted from mesquite wood, debunked the myth that it was caused by a fire during the ship’s journey from Mexico to the Philippines in the early 17th century, according to Filipino priest and theologian Sabino Vengco in 2019.
Known as the “traslacion,” the procession commemorates the transfer of the Black Nazarene statue from a church within the old Spanish capital, Intramuros, to its current home at the Quiapo Church.
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In his homily, Cardinal Jose Advincula, Manila’s archbishop, urged devotees to reject evil, greed, and vices, instead embracing the teachings of Jesus Christ.
“Let us live up to his commandments, embrace his teachings, and follow his example. It is better to follow the Beloved Lord,” Advincula said.
