Black Nazarene

Black Nazarene
January 9, 2010
By: Rondo Docille
The Original Statue of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo

The Black Nazarene is a life-sized, dark-colored, wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ held to be miraculous by many people, especially its Filipino devotees. Its original carver is an anonymous Mexican carpenter, and the image was transported by galleon from Mexico. The image is currently enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines where novena celebrations are held every Friday throughout the whole year. Roman Catholic tradition holds that the Black Nazarene came from a boat that caught fire, turning it from its original white into black or charred complexion. The Black Nazarene is carried into the streets for procession in a "Caroza" or carriage.

The feast of the Most Holy Black Nazarene is celebrated every 9th of January while novena masses begin on the first Friday day of the year, in honor of its weekly novena mass held every Friday. During the annual public procession, only the body of the Black Nazarene is displayed in procession to the public, while the original head portion of the statue is retained in the Basilica of the Black Nazarene within the high altars of the church. The Black Nazarene is also famously noted for its devotees who walk the procession streets barefoot, without shoes or sandals as to imitate Jesus Christ on his way to Mount Calvary.
Contents

* 1 History
* 2 National Hymn
* 3 Devotion
o 3.1 Processions
* 4 Events in the 2008 feast
* 5 Events in the 2009 feast
* 6 Events in the 2010 feast


History

The image was brought to the Philippines by the Augustinian Recollect Missionaries on May 31, 1606. It was initially enshrined in the first Recollect church in Bagumbayan (now part of Rizal Park). On September 10, 1606, the church was inaugurated and placed under the patronage of St. John the Baptist. In 1608, the Nazarene image was transferred to the second bigger Recollect church of San Nicolas de Tolentino built inside the fortress of Intramuros. Between the years 1767 and 1790, the Archbishop of Manila, Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa y Rufina, ordered the transfer of the image of the Nazareno to the church in Quiapo under the patronage of St. John the Baptist. The intensity of the devotion to the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno flourished and spread throughout the Philippines.

Today, the head portion of the Black Nazarene is retained in the high altars of the Quiapo church while the body is used for public procession. In the 2007 Black Nazarene feast, both the original head and the body were combined together in celebration of the Black Nazarene's 400 year old history.

The veneration of the Black Nazarene is very popular among Filipinos because of their religious piety and devotion to the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Many devotees of the Black Nazarene attribute their poverty and struggles in the daily society to the wounds and tribulations of Jesus Christ, as represented by the Black Nazarene. Although the patron saint of the Minor Basilica of Black Nazarene is originally Saint John the Baptist, the consecration of the Black Nazarene has gained more popular because Jesus Christ is the center of piety and devotion, which may or may not be interceded through a saint.
[edit] National Hymn

Below is the National Hymn composed by Lucio San Pedro, which is used by the Quiapo church as the main hymn to the Black Nazarene.


Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno

Lyrics: Lucio San Pedro

I

Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Sinasamba ka namin (We worship you)
Pinipintuho ka namin (we admire you)"
Aral mo ang aming buhay (Your lessons are our life)
at Kaligtasan (and our salvation)


II

Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Iligtas mo kami sa Kasalanan (Please save us from our sins)
Ang Krus mong Kinamatayan ay (Your cross from which you died on)
Sagisag ng aming Kaligtasan (is the sign of our Salvation)


Chorus:

Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Dinarangal ka namin (We honor you)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Nilul'walhati ka namin (We glorify you)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Dinarangal ka namin (We honor you)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Nilul'walhati ka namin (We glorify you)
[edit] Devotion

The devotion to the miraculous Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno has attracted huge following among the populace. Its popularity, which initially spread to the northern and southern provinces of Luzon, spread over time throughout the country.

The uniquely Filipino devotion to the Black Nazarene merited the sanction and encouragement of two popes. In 1650, Pope Innocent X gave his pontifical blessing with a Papal Bull that canonically established the Confraternity of the Most Holy Black Christ Nazarene (Cofradia de Santo Cristo Jesús Nazareno) and Pope Pius VII gave his second blessing in the 19th century, by granting plenary indulgence to those who piously pray before the image of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo.

In addition to this, devotees pay homage to the Santo Cristo Jesus Nazareno by clapping their hands in praise at the end of every Mass performed at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.
Processions

Today, despite the rough-and-tumble that usually accompanies the thrice-yearly procession of the image, the Filipino people's devotion to God in the special appellation of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno continues to flourish and shows no sign of waning; death, wounds, bodily pains and physical discomfort notwithstanding.

For more than 200 years, the statue has been placed on a golden red carriage every January 9th and pulled through the streets of Quiapo by male devotees clad in maroon. People who have touched the Nazarene are reported to have sometimes been healed of their diseases. Catholics come from all over Manila for the chance that they will be able to get close enough to touch the image and perhaps even receive a miracle. They also throw towels or handkerchiefs to the people guarding the statue and ask them to rub them on the statue in hopes of carrying some of that power away with them.

The procession, and the accompanying Feast of the Black Nazarene, takes place every year on January 9. This commemorates the Translacion or the transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo
Events in the 2008 feast

On January 9, 2008, the number of devotees who joined the procession swelled to 80,000 in Quiapo, Manila. One-and-a-half to three million people can be accommodated around Plaza Miranda and Quezon Boulevard. [1][2] Two people died and around 50 injured devotees were rushed to 2 hospitals and a makeshift clinic of the Philippine National Red Cross for first aid treatment, as the procession proceeded.[3] Vice President Noli de Castro, a known devotee of the statue, also joined the big procession.[4][5]MPD District Director Senior Supt. Roberto Rosales stated that the crowd swelled to 2.2 to 2.6 million "when others, including local residents, joined the procession along the 4.7-km route.” The procession ended at 9:45 p.m.[6] In 2006, 2 devotees also died and 20 others only were injured during the procession.[7]
Events in the 2009 feast

On the 402nd year celebration of the Black Nazarene, the Minor Basilica of Quiapo decided to change the route of the procession of the Black Nazarene. Instead of beginning the procession at 3 pm from the Quiapo Church, the procession was scheduled to begin from the Quirino Grandstand near Dr. Jose Rizal's national hero monument in Luneta at 8:30AM, therefore going through wider roads and streets towards the Quiapo Church. The Quiapo Church Rectory has decided to change routes to prevent injuries and deaths that has happened in the previous years due to the large crowds and stampede during the procession. A healing mass is also celebrated preceding the 8:30 am procession, officiated by his eminence, the Roman Catholic Manila Archbishop, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales. Philippines' Vice-President Noli De Castro, a known devotee of the Black Nazarene was present in the Eucharistic mass and procession as well with City of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

However, on the day of the procession of the Black Nazarene, upon reaching almost the end of the new route, the older route was still followed due to many devotees who has decided to pull the ropes of the carriage towards the original route which encircles the Quiapo church. The new route was followed only up till Arlegui street, after which many of the Quiapo devotees took charge of the carriage and pulled the carriage ropes towards the original route of the procession. Many of these devotees has recently complained to the police officials because they believe that the Black Nazarene's passing towards their area results in their numerous blessings and good luck, many of whom are financiers and patrons of the Quiapo church.

The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo has also decided to move the replica statue of the Black Nazarene to San Agustin's Cathedral in Cagayan de Oro, in the Mindanao island, so that Nazarene devotees from Mindanao may not have to travel to Quiapo, Manila for their annual pilgrimage.
Events in the 2010 feast

Thank You and More Power To all Devotes and to all people celebrating the annual events the Feast Of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo..

Ronald Docallos
docille_84@yahoo.com

Feast of the Black Nazarene

BLACK NAZARENE
January 9
By: Rondo Docille

The feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 is considered one of the most spectacular religious events that take place in the Philippine history.

Every year thousands of devotees from all walks of life come to the district of Quiapo to take part in the procession as a way of strengthening their faith or fulfilling their “panata” (vow) to Lord.

The Black Nazarene is the patron saint of Quiapo, a small but well-known part of Manila, a hub of trade and commerce because of the Quiapo market and the many stores located there.

The life size image of the Black Nazarene shows a “black” Jesus Christ carrying a cross. The statue has been housed at the Saint John de Baptist Church in Quiapo, Manila also known as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene since 1787. The image of the Black Nazarene is brought out in procession on its feast day and Good Friday.

The statue was brought to Manila by a Spanish priest in 1607 aboard a ship. The ship caught fire, burning the image and thus came to be known as the Black Nazarene. Though the image was burnt, the people decided to preserve and honor it. Since then, miraculous things have been reported to those who touch the image.

The celebration starts as the huge door of Quiapo Church opens and the image of the Black Nazarene is within sight. The ocean of devotees start to yell “Viva Señor” while some wave white towel high in the air along with the scripture of the Black Nazarene.

The statue is placed in a gilded carriage for the procession. As the procession starts, procession participants garbed in maroon tops grab two long ropes and pull it to make the carriage move. Many will attempt to touch the image while some throw their handkerchiefs and towels in the air. People who join in the procession walk barefooted as a sign of humility.

The devotion to the Black Nazarene is long time practice of the Filipino Catholics and they believe that through their faith with Jesus Christ, there will be peace and harmony among families, long life and good health among people, deliverance from all calamities and disasters, and prosperity, joy and love among nations.

Feast of the Black Nazarene

Feast of the Black Nazarene
January 9, 2010
By: Rondo Docille

Every year thousands of pilgrims from all over the country come to Manila to be part of the procession of the Black Nazarene. All participants in the procession hope that they will have the opportunity to touch the wooden statue. They hope that this will protect them from harm and ensure health


in the future. Indeed, it is said that sometimes persons were healed of diseases after touching the statue! (A Filipino: "My daughter was very sick, so I joined this procession last year. Now she is cured...."). Some of them follow the statue during the procession because they believe it is an atonement of their sins or hope for some miracle.

Procession of the Black Nazarene

Procession of the Black Nazarene
The largest procession
By: Rondo Docille
Saturday January 9, 2010

The procession of the Black Nazarene is the largest procession in the country.

It takes place on January the 9th and on Good Friday through the streets of Quiapo,

a small part of metro Manila.

The procession dates from the 17th century. Thousands of men parade through the streets with the life-sized, black wooden statue of Jesus (of Nazarene).

Black Nazarene Campaign

Black Nazarene Campaign
Saturday Jan. 9 2010
By: Rondo Docille

Even though the official campaign period for the May elections is still a month away, some local candidates can not stop themselves from swathing the streets and other public places with tarpaulins and billboards bearing their "greetings."

The Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 is not spared from this self-promotion, as it has attracted efforts by elections hopefuls to get the attention - and hopefully support - of the devotees who will take part in the yearly event.

Posters featuring politicians running for local posts in Manila and greeting devotees a happy fiesta were seen around the city's Quiapo district as early as Monday evening. "Happy Fiesta!" read the messages, along with the politician's smiling face and his or her name in big bold letters.

On the other hand, posters featuring the Christmas and New Year greetings of other local officials running in May - including re-electionist Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and vice mayor Francisco Domagoso (a.k.a. Isko Moreno) - were not taken down.

A large billboard of Lim's Kapayapaan, Katarungan at Kaunlaran (KKK) remained in place near the giant screen of a drugstore facing the Quiapo Church.

The number of posters is expected to multiply in the days leading to Saturday, when the Feast of the Black Nazarene is held.

Millions of devotees are expected to attend the yearly January 9 event, trudging barefoot while trying to get a chance to pull the carriage bearing the image of the Black Nazarene.

Looking Into the New Year (I)

Looking Into the New Year (I)
January 1st, 2010
By; Rondo Docille

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, KJV)

The world turns, a calendar is checked off and we find ourselves on the cusp of the new year, contemplating the momentous and minor events of the year past and pondering the one to come. It is a time when pundits make bold predictions, oft followed by more bold pronouncements almost 180-out in their prognostication. At best, they are fodder for the typical end-of-year lists of Who Got It Wrong The Worst.

Fear not – I will make none of those here – were I to have even a smidge of such prescience, the stock portfolio would be thick and in the black and I’d be working on my fourth Pulitzer-in-waiting book.

It’s not and I’m not. Alas.

Still, there are several items to be watching for in the coming year, some slated for delivery on the first day of the new year while others may crest later – or fade altogether. Submitted for your consideration then:

1. Guiding documents:

Beginning New Year’s Day a slew of documents critical to determining our future course in terms of national security, force structure and employment are scheduled for release. Chief among these are the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) and Ballistic Missile Defense Review (BMDR). By far and away, the QDR is the most sweeping and will have the biggest impact on future planning. Guidance will be provided – such as will we continue to depend on forward- and rotationally deployed forces, or fall back on a fortress America sending out rotationally deploying forces? Will we plan for two major wars? One? Or put emphasis on deterring/dissuading and contingency actions, banking that a major regional action with a near peer competitor isn’t in the cards? What will the forces look like? We’ve already gotten a peak under the tent flap with the cancellation of the F-22, CGX, and other big ticket items meant for a major conflict. Will our focus shift back to regional emphasis and how will we go about engaging regional friends, partners and allies? This and more we should know in less than a week when the QDR is released.

And the other two? Well, the last NPR (2002) brought about a profound shift in the “Triad.” During the Cold War, the Triad was composed of the three functional strike legs of our nuclear deterrent – manned bombers, land-based ICBMs and sea-based SLBMs. Under the “new Triad” those forces were rolled up into a single leg of Offensive Forces along with non-nuclear strike and included Active/passive Defense and revitalization of our defense structure as the other two legs. The current NPR is expected to take a hard look at nuclear disarmament and coincides with the expiration of the START accords and subsequent negotiations with Russia over a new nuclear arms limitation treaty (more later). Proliferation of nuclear weapons and material/knowledge is also expected to factor highly, especially in light of what has and is transpiring in Iran, Syria, North Korea, India and China. Since the 2002 NPR we’ve seen North Korea conduct a test of a notional weapon, India and Pakistan expand their testing and means of delivery and an extra-national network run by A.Q. Kahn foment proliferation of nuclear weapons technology and knowledge amongst a host of bad actors. This, of course, begs the question of expected means of delivery (safe presumption – ballistic and cruise missile) and the newest document on the block, the BMDR.

Since the 1997 Rumsfeld report and the ‘01 QDR, both the threat of ballistic missiles and the promise of ballistic missile defense have grown to such an extent that the time for an independent review is at hand. What we can expect to see from the BMDR will be a review of the threat and guidance on where we will pace our emphasis on development, deployment and employment. Given that there is growth across all ranges in ballistic missiles – from the IR/ICBM ranged North Korean TD-2 to the many missiles in the Middle East that pose threats to Israel and other states in the region, to China’s own growing missile force, it is a rich field, threat-wise, that the BDR plows. Expectations are it will reflect and formalize the shift in emphasis from a global ballistic missile defense system based on ground-based interceptors in Alaska and California, focused on the North Korean threat to one based on multi-use platforms like BMD configured Aegis DDGs and CGs employing the SM-3 BlkIA and SM-2 BlkIVa in the regional and theater fights. Again, guidance will be provided on force structure and development and testing. Most affected by this will be Navy (maritime- and land-based Aegis BMD) and a lesser extent, Army with the THAAD program. The new Phase Adaptive Approach to defending Europe will likely serve as the model for future BMD development and deployment. Another expectation from the BMDR will be the emphasis it will likely place on all means of missile defense – not just kinetic.

Finally, the Navy appears to be edging ever closer to releasing the Naval Operating Concept (NOC), the key document that links the “new” Maritime Strategy with the operating forces by operationalizing its concepts. Originally due out within 6 months of release of the MarStrat, the NOC was derailed by several items of controversy between the three sea services, not least of which was that of force structure in general, and shipbuilding in particular between the Navy and Marine Corps. Coming after the QDR. NPR and BMDR, the current director of plans, RDML Thomas, the NOC will:

“… explain how naval forces, operating together, put the strategic imperatives of the tri-service maritime strategy into action, according to the director of plans. “The NOC’s original purpose was to operationalize the maritime strategy,” Thomas noted. “Right now you’ve got a Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Sea Power with specific strategic imperatives and core capabilities and then you have a bunch of activities that are taking place in support of joint forces, combatant commanders around the globe. But what links your strategic imperatives with your activities? How do you know what specific effects you’re trying to have in support of the larger effect the nation is trying to have globally?” The purpose of the NOC is to “go after some of those specific effects,” Thomas said, to “better marry up our activities with the direct support” of commanders around the globe. “Part of the reasoning there is those activities support the strategy, but in a resource-constrained environment you have to re-double your efforts to go after specific effects and if it’s something that is in the ‘nice to do’ category versus the ‘need to do’ category, then that ‘nice to do’ may get left on the cutting room floor,” the one-star admiral argued. “I think the NOC will be a pretty robust document.” “

Next: What do the Russians want now?

World Maritime Day 2010: Year of the Seafarer

World Maritime Day 2010: Year of the Seafarer
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
BY: Rondo Docille
Email Add This Feed Button Share

A message from E.E. Mitropoulos, Secretary-General, IMO:

The International Maritime Organization has decided to dedicate next year to you by choosing, as the theme for World Maritime Day, "2010: Year of the Seafarer". Our intention is to pay tribute to you, the world's 1.5 million seafarers - men and women from all over the globe - for the unique, and all too often over-looked, contribution you make to the wellbeing of all of us.

We will do so with deep appreciation, in recognition of the extraordinary service you render every day of your professional life, frequently under dangerous circumstances, in delivering, to the more than 6.5 billion people of the world, the wheat that makes our daily bread, the gas and oil that warms our homes or moves our vehicles and the gifts we will share and enjoy with our families and friends over this Festive Season.

At IMO, we are ever-conscious of the important role you play in helping us achieve safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans - the goals that we, as the United Nations specialized agency charged with the regulation of international shipping and as a member of the global maritime community, have set ourselves.

And so, we will celebrate next year's World Maritime Day theme with much pride in your contribution to our objectives, to the facilitation of more than 90% of the world's trade, and to sustainable human development.

In so doing, we also seek to reassure you, at the "sharp end" of the industry, that we, who are responsible for the international regulatory regime and who serve shipping from ashore, do understand the extreme pressures that you face and that, as a result, we approach our own tasks with a genuine sympathy for the work that you carry out.

At the same time, we will seek to add impetus to the "Go to Sea!" campaign, which we launched in November 2008 to attract new entrants to the shipping industry and, in particular, to encourage young people to follow in your footsteps by becoming the seafarers of tomorrow. We launched that campaign in association with the International Labour Organization, the "Round Table" of shipping industry organizations (International Chamber of Shipping, International Shipping Federation, BIMCO, International Association of Independent Tanker Owners and International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners) and the International Transport Workers' Federation, all of whom will be joining us in celebrating the Year of the Seafarer.

Last, but mostly importantly, we want to convey to you a clear message that the entire shipping community understands and cares for you - as shown by the efforts we make to ensure that you are fairly treated when ships on which you serve become involved in accidents; are looked after when you are abandoned in ports; are not refused shore leave for security purposes; are protected when your work takes you into piracy-infested areas; and are not left unaided when you are in distress at sea.

1.5 million seafarers serving the daily needs of more then 6.5 billion citizens of the world! It is a fact that goes unnoticed or is taken for granted by most, but one that should be trumpeted loud and clear. For seafarers the world over deserve our respect, recognition and gratitude and, during 2010, we at IMO are resolved to ensure that the world does take notice of your exceptional role and contribution and of the special debt that all of us owe to you. We thank you for that!

With best wishes for the Festive Season and the Year of the Seafarer - and a safe return home!