By CHRISTINA I. HERMOSO
Manila, Philippines – Unmindful of the heat, discomfort, and a possible terror threat, three million faithful devotees from across the country joined the traditional grand procession that brought back the miraculous sacred image of the highly revered Black Nazarene (Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno or Our Father Jesus Nazarene) from the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila back to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church or St. John the Baptist Parish) also in Manila yesterday.
The procession commemorates the 405th feast of the “traslacion“ or the transfer of the Black Nazarene image from the Recollect Church in Intramuros, Manila to the Quiapo Church in 1787.
The long procession, which attracts a larger crowd every year, began at about 8 a.m., shortly after the 6 a.m. concelebrated mass led by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle at the Quirino Grandstand, where the image was brought last Saturday, January 8, for an overnight vigil and a series of activities.
Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim led city officials who attended the mass, which was briefly interrupted midway and shortly before the procession after some devotees started pushing and shoving their way towards the steel railings near the stage.
While chanting “Viva Senor!,” a sea of mostly barefoot devotees moving like waves, majority of whom were clad in maroon shirts associated with the image, tried to touch the ropes attached to the gilded “carroza” (carriage) of the Black Nazarene.
Devotees believe the ropes have miraculous and healing powers. As has been the practice in the past years, female devotees in front of the procession were allowed to help pull the ropes. Those who could not get near waved their white handkerchiefs or hurled their towels to the marshals guarding the Black Nazarene, and which in turn were thrown back to them after wiping them on the miraculous image of the Poong Nazareno.
Many followed the slow moving procession singing the “Ama Namin” (Our Father), while carrying replicas of the Black Nazarene and crucifixes. At the Plaza Miranda in front of Quiapo Church, thousands of devotees waited for the arrival of the Black Nazarene. A large crowd also attended the masses at the church held by the hour from 3 a.m. to 12 noon and from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo presided over the early morning mass, which was followed by a band parade.
With the theme “Espiritu ng Ama at ng Panginoong Hesus Nazareno Sambayanang Pilipino Ibangon Po Niyo,“ Tagle, in his homily, called on devotees of the Black Nazarene “to offer prayers and sacrifices for the victims of tropical storm “Sendong“ and the killer landslide in Compostela Valley.“
“Let us remember those who were affected in our prayers. Let us offer a minute of silence to pray to the Black Nazarene for our suffering brothers and sisters,“ he said.
The prelate also reminded the faithful “not to litter at the venue, to respect nature, and to stop abusing and neglecting the environment.“
Tagle urged devotees “to truly change their ways and to not just be good for a day.“
“Do not come here to seek forgiveness and then after being `cleansed’ you just go back to your old ways,“ he said.
Tagle said that Christ’s cross has become too heavy with man’s sins. “Sin, the evil spirit, was what Saint Paul referred to as the spirit of the flesh.“
CELLPHONES JAMMED
The government yesterday shut down mobile phone services along the route of the Black Nazarene procession in Manila because of a possible terrorist attack.
Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte confirmed that the government asked telecommunications firms “to temporarily disconnect their services in the route of the Black Nazarene procession as part of the security measures.“
Blocking cellphone signals was among the range of measures agreed during a high-level meeting last Sunday in a bid to thwart any terrorist attack during the religious rites, according to Valte.
Valte said all telecoms companies granted the government’s request for the temporary interruption of the mobile services during the Black Nazarene procession.
“On the interruption of the mobile services, of course we feel it is warranted as an additional security measure. It is necessary for us to ensure nothing untoward will happen during the period of the procession,“ she said in a Malacanang news conference.
Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the issue of disrupting cellular phone signals was discussed during a meeting of security officials presided over by President Benigno S. Aquino III last Sunday.
“The probability of using cellular phone as initiator is always there, that’s the reason we are doing all our best to protect the citizenry,“ said Bartolome. “But I am not privy as to the exact time and specific area (of the cellular phone disruption),“ said Bartolome.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said what telecommunication com panies did was to “calibrate” the strength of the signal in the areas where the procession would pass by. “They were not totally turned off, they were just calibrated in the areas where the procession would pass and while the procession was on-going,” said Robredo.
He said that it was the police and military intelligence community which requested the telecommunication companies to do so.
Mobile phones have long been used by terrorists to remotely detonate explosives by calling or texting the handset.
Last Sunday, Aquino warned of a potential terrorist attack to disrupt the event and urged devotees to remain vigilant and cooperate with authorities.
Valte said the President continued to monitor the security efforts during the procession while holding office in Malacanang.
She explained that it behooved the President to warn of a potential security threat in the interest of public safety. “It is better to err on the side of caution,” she added, disputing concerns that government may have overestimated the security threat in Manila.
Valte said security forces will remain on “heightened alert” until they deem prudent to lower such warning. The police are attempting to arrest the suspects planning to disrupt the event.
CLASSES SUSPENDED
Sixteen schools in Manila – from elementary to college – both public and private located near the procession route suspended their classes yesterday to commemorate the feast of the Black Nazarene and also due to safety reasons.
Schools that suspended classes were the Apolinario Mabini Elementary School, Geronimo Santiago Elementary School, Avancena High School, Manila High School, Manila Science High chool, Araullo High School, City College of Manila, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of the Philippines Manila, Far Eastern University, University of the East, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and San Beda College.
Regular classes in all the schools resume today.
INJURED PILGRIMS
One-hundred four devotees of the Black Nazarene were treated for various reasons by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) as of 12 noon yesterday.
The devotees complained of wounds, exhaustion, dehydration, and high-blood pressure.
“Forty-one devotees with minor injuries were treated and 56 devotees, as of this posting, also had their blood pressure taken,” PRC said.
“PRC also transported seven devotees to Ospital ng Maynila and Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Six devotees were brought to the hospital due to dizziness, difficulty of breathing, and chest pain. Meanwhile, one devotee was brought to the hospital due to possible elbow dislocation while one pregnant woman was transported to Ospital ng Maynila due to dizziness,” PRC added.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), meanwhile, said 115 injured devotees were treated and rushed to nearby hospitals by MMDA rescue teams.
MMDA Chairman Francis N. Tolentino said MMDA emergency teams treated them for wounds, blisters, dizziness, lacerations, dehydration, and punctures.
“Some patients that needed medical attention were brought to the Ospital ng Maynila. Other devotees had their blood pressure taken by the rescue and ambulance team,” said Tolentino. (Genalyn D. Kabiling, Aaron B. Recuenco, Leslie Ann G. Aquino, Angelo G. Garcia, Jenny F. Manongdo, and Anna Liza T. Villas)
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