Black Nazarene Feast: Some Devotees Breaks Security Barrier, Disturb Mass

On the day marking the celebration of its Feast on Thursday morning, thousands of Black Nazarene devotees broke security fences at the Quirino Grandstand, disrupting the Mass officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

As the Mass was progressing, the crowd became unruly, overpowering security personnel posting around the stage where the mass was held. Report said the devotees rushed to the stage before communion ends ignoring the repeated warnings by security personnel tasked to guard the Black Nazarene image.

Reports added many waved handkerchiefs while others threw towels to wipe the Black Nazarene image.

Cardinal Tagle, in his delivered homily, lamented what he called the “brazen corruption by those who steal from the nation’s coffers.” Tagle said there are people who steal but do not show neither shame nor remorse.

The Archbishop did not name names, but said such thefts and corruption are all over the “front page” of newspapers.

During the Mass marking the Black Nazaren feast, Tagle urged the devotees to thank God for giving them good health and good weather. He also said Filipinos should be thankful like the Nazarene devotees, who show much faith because they believe God will not abandon them.

At the end of the Mass, the procession started with many of the devotees forcing their way to get near the float carrying the image of the Black Nazarene.

The Black Nazarene, also known to devotees in Spanish as Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno and in Tagalog: Poóng Itím na Nazareno, is a life-sized, dark wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ carrying a cross.

It reflected Christ’s passion and suffering and many Filipino Catholics believed the image to be miraculous.

It is said that the image is one of the two statues of Jesus Christ brought from Mexico. The older and more popular copy belonging to the Recollects was destroyed in World War II during the Liberation of Manila.

The image of the Black Nazarene was originally of fair complexion. It is believed to have turned dark after the statue survived a fire on a galleon ship that brought it from Mexico.

In Manila, the Black Nazarene is publicly processed every 9th of January, when its first novena feast, official translation (Now known as traslación) and enshrinement in the present Basilica is celebrated.

During its Feast, millions of devotees swarm the streets of processional route through the City of Manila.

Source: Gma News Online, Radio DZBB

Image Credit: flicker.com