The Overzealous Devotion to the Black Nazarene
Posted on Friday, 9 January 2015
The
Overzealous Devotion to the Black Nazarene
By Apolinario Villalobos
Every year, I partially witness the
transfer of the image of the Black Nazarene from Luneta to Quiapo Church.
Partial because I just stay along Taft Avenue and follow until the procession
reaches the Jones Bridge, then I go the other way towards the direction of
Quiapo Church where a multitude of devotees are waiting.
As during the previous years, the Quiapo
church authorities try their best to rectify the belief of the devotees that
the January 9 is the fiesta of Quiapo which is wrong. The fiesta of Quiapo is
June 24, as the district’s patron saint is St. John the Baptist. January 9 is
the commemoration of the transfer of the image of the Black Nazarene from
Intramuros to Quiapo, and not a fiesta.
Observable as usual, is the overzealous
praying to the image which the church authorities are trying to discourage by
explaining that it is not Jesus, but just his representation, hence, an image,
so that such act is idolatrous. Devotees are also advised not to bring their
children to the occasion. Also, those living along the route of the procession
should refrain from holding drinking sprees on the street, thinking that the
occasion is a “fiesta”. And worse, they also hold piῆata games using
earthen pots, resulting to the scattering of potsherds all over the streets
which are along the route of the procession of barefooted devotees.
Unfortunately, all those calls are unheeded.
The kissing ritual and wiping of the image
with hand towels on which is printed the face of the Black Nazarene are also
among the overzealous acts of the devotees. The kissing ritual is held at the
Luneta Grandstand and the wiping of the image is done along the route of the
procession during which many wonder how the towels can be thrown back to their
owners afterwards by members of the Hijos de Nazareno who are protecting the
image which is firmly perched on the “andas”.
This year, a “miracle” can eventually
bolster the faith of the devotees to the Black Nazarene. A long- distressed
mother is reunited with his mentally-handicapped son, after so many years of
separation. It is as if her son is pushed to her side during the melee that
ensued. The mother almost failed to recognize her son whose features are
slightly changed. But her maternal instinct told her that it is her son. Radio
field reporters eagerly picked up the story with eagerness, and which
overshadowed the death of a member of the “Hijos” due to a stroke that resulted
from over exhaustion.
The Black Nazarene is among the most
popular images with millions of devotees in the Philippines, most of whom are
concentrated in Manila and its suburbs. What distract the high-strung devotion
are those who act as if possessed if they notice cameras focused to them, as
well as, the Jesus personifiers, complete with crown of “thorns”, and who meld
themselves in the sea of ardent devotees.
Before I left the procession, I asked one
“devotee” whose breath strongly smells of liquor, the reason for his devotion.
To my question, he answered that he is asking the Black Nazarene to give him a
chance in winning the lottery, even just for once….
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