Today, the 410th anniversary of the arrival of the image of Black Nazarene in Manila, Philippines is celebrated.
A
historical and iconic miraculous statue of Jesus Christ carrying His Cross has
become a symbol of passion, struggle and faith in the country for over four
centuries.[1]
Positioned
in the Archdiocese of Manila, the life-size sculpture of Jesus is enshrined in
the eminent minor basilica, the Quiapo Church. It has survived the blazing
fires that devastated the church two times, two earthquakes, numerous floods
caused by typhoons and bombings during World War II.
The
church which hosts the statue welcomes devotees early in the morning (hourly mass and healing services) until late evening sheltering poor homeless people.
St.
John Paul II recognized the church as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene brought
by its role in intensifying a deep popular devotion to Jesus Christ and
cultural contribution to the religiosity of the Filipino people.
Approximately
12 Million devotees (combination of 5 million joining the procession, crowd in the
church in the evening, and hourly influx of churchgoers on the feast) gather to
celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene every January 9th, taking
part in the marvelous religious procession known as the “Traslacion,” in which
they carry a replica of the statue across Manila. Some people queue for seven
hours without grumbling simply to touch the image for prayers and touching the image. Huge queues of confessions are expected.
“Traslacion”
means the transfer of the Image of Black Nazarene. It is emulating the
sacrifice and suffering that the Lord endured for humanity’s salvation like
when He was walking barefoot, carrying the cross to Mount Calvary.
The devotees
also want to give back to God by partaking in the suffering entering in Jesus’ Paschal
mystery, which some theologians have not fully grasped this which considered as wealth
of these popular religious devotions, by which the Second Vatican Council does
not dismiss.
Pope
Francis encourages everyone to support and strengthen, understand and find
meaning in popular piety.
The
almost 4.3-mile barefoot procession starts from the Quirino Grandstand at
Luneta and wanders its way towards the narrow streets then reaching Basilica
Minore de Nazareno (the church that hosts the image) after 19 hours of
spiritual euphoria. The devotees who flood the area touch the icon and throw
cloths to contact the image, before receiving the cloths back – Philippine
culture is a culture of touch and, significantly a fashion of yearning to touch
heaven.
The
devotion has increased its impact in living the Christian life in the community
bringing 30 percent increase of people resulting in about 10 Masses celebrated
on weekdays and healing services.
Somehow
the devotion is growing which effect is to bring out
more compassion, where volunteers are
assisting the medical team, provide water, and food.
Historically,
a first group of Augustinian Recollect missionaries disembarked in Manila in
1606 from Mexico, who brought with them a Jesus’ dark image (caught by fire at
some point during the expedition, resulting the image to turn its dark brown
color even darker)[2] kneeling on one knee and
carrying a large wooden cross.
The icon was first enshrined in St. John the
Baptist Church at Luneta in 1606. After two years it was moved to a bigger
church nearby. Subsequently it was transferred to Quiapo Church in 1868 whose
patron is also St. John the Baptist, after a century and a half. Brought by
numerous answered prayers people have been
celebrating the feast on January 9 since then.
Cardinal
Luis Antonio Tagle says, “To understand the devotee you have to be a devotee.
Only a devotee could best understand a devotee.” And this could be sensed
through the huge attendance of people for Mass every day and especially on
Friday, making their testimonies of faith.
The Quiapo
Church is helping disaster victims and fostering devotion elsewhere in the
Philippines through people’s mass donations.
Bohol which was ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan in 2014 was provided with 72
houses. The church joins relief programs with other dioceses and grants
scholarships and manages a livelihood program through its Black Nazarene
Foundation, the distribution arm of the Quiapo Parish. The Church provides one
crucifix to every church for the devotees to be nourished in their devotion.
Pope
Innocent X specially recognized the country’s strong devotion to the Black
Nazarene of Manila in 1650.
On
the other hand, while the Catholic Church together with its million devotees celebrate
this feast zealously, non-Catholics irately condemn this for they regard it as
idolatry which violates the first commandment according to their belief.
Procession, kissing, carrying and kneeling before
Jesus’ image, are they forms of idolatry?
The
Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that all of the signs in the liturgical celebrations are connected to the Lord:
the sacred images of the holy Mother of God of the saints and the angels as
well. Beyond doubt, these truly signify Jesus, who is glorified in them. They
make manifest the "cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) who continue to participate in the humanity’s salvation and
to whom Christianity are united, above all in sacramental celebrations. By
their icons, it is man "in the image of God," finally transfigured
"into His likeness," (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2) who is revealed to humans faith. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1161)
Being aware that obeying the divinely inspired teaching of the holy Fathers and the
tradition of the Catholic Church comes from the Holy Spirit who dwells in the
Church, it is rightly defined that, like the figure of the precious and
life-giving cross, venerable and holy images of the Lord God and Savior, Jesus
Christ, the inviolate Lady, the holy Mother of God, and the venerated angels,
all the saints and the just, whether painted or made of mosaic or another appropriate
material, are to be placed in the holy churches of God, on sacred vessels and
vestments, walls and panels, in houses and on streets. (Council of Nicaea II: DS 600)
The
sacred image, the liturgical icon, primarily
represents Jesus. It cannot represent the unseen and unfathomable God, but the
incarnation of the Son of God has ushered in a new "economy" of
images as St. John Damascene says that previously God, who has neither a body
nor a face, absolutely could not be represented by an image, but now that He
has made Himself visible in the flesh and has lived with men, image and His
glory can already be made and contemplated.(CCC1159)[3]
Christian
iconography articulates in images the same Gospel message that
Scripture converses verbally. Image and word light up each other, as the
Council of Nicaea II declares the preservation of all the written and unwritten
traditions of the Church which have been entrusted through them including the
production of representational artwork, which harmonizes with the history of
the preaching of the Gospel, as it confirms the incarnation of the Word of God
was real than imaginary, and humanity’s benefit as well, for realities that
illustrate each other indisputably reflect each other's meaning. (CCC1160)
References:
[1] CNA Daily News, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/catholicnews/2015/05/understanding-the-fierce-devotion-behind-the-black-nazarene/,
Understanding the fierce devotion behind the
Black Nazarene, May 27, 2015
[2] http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/343175/news/specialreports/nine-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-black-nazarene, Nine things you might not know about the Black Nazarene
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