Before the millions of devotees of the revered Poong Hesus Nazareno came about, “Jesus Christ was the first devotee,” Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal G. Tagle yesterday told thousands of devotees gathered at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila hours before the start of the “Traslacion” procession.
“Sent by God the Father to save mankind, Jesus was the first ever devotee. He was deeply devoted to us,” His Eminence said in his homily during the midnight mass.
The Church leader said devotion is different from fanaticism.
“A real devotee loves. The essence of devotion is love that lasts,” Tagle said. Fanaticism, on the other hand, he stressed, is quite temporary.
“But only devotees will understand it. If you’re not a devotee you’re going to question it,” he added.
“When a fanatic does not get what he wants, he will stop. But a devotee continues with his devotion no matter what. You are devoted because you love Him. That is what Jesus exemplified when He showed His devotion to us,” the Cardinal said.
With the theme “Deboto ng Poong Hesus Nazareno: Hinirang at Pinili Upang Maging Lingkod Niya,” this year’s celebration focuses on the responsibilities and mission of Black Nazarene devotees, who, according to Monsignor Hernando Coronel, rector of the Quiapo Church in Manila, are “called” to be devotees.
The procession that will bring back the revered Black Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church started shortly after 5 a.m. after the Morning Prayer.
The “Pahalik sa Poong Nazareno” that began early Tuesday morning ended at around 10 a.m. yesterday. At the Quiapo Church, masses were held by the hour from 3 a.m. until midnight.
As in the past years, the procession moved in wave-like motion with the huge crowd of mostly barefoot devotees clad in maroon and yellow shirts scrambling to get near the “anda” or carriage to touch the ropes, believed to have healing powers.
The procession commemorates the transfer of the Black Nazarene image from the Recollect Church in Intramuros, Manila to the Quiapo Church in 1787.
Amid shouts of “Viva Senor” and the singing of the “Ama Namin” (Our Father) devotees, some even carrying replicas of the Black Nazarene, 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. (Christina I. Hermoso)
