By JAIMIE ROSE R. ABERIA, JEL SANTOS
Faith and devotion led hundreds of thousands to walk the streets of Manila barefoot yesterday just to see or touch the image of the Black Nazarene.
Although already on a wheelchair, 69-year-old Carmelita Vicente from Navotas City still joined the crowd who attended the Morning Prayer held at 4 a.m. at the Quirino Grandstand.
Carmelita said her devotion to the Black Nazarene was passed on to her by her mother and was bolstered when she lost her husband when she was just 39.
“Wala naman kasi akong ibang matatakbuhan nu’ng bata akong nabyuda at mayroon akong limang anak. Sa awa ng Diyos, lahat naman sila ay napalaki kong maayos,” Carmelita said.
Now that all of her five children have already finished school, she vowed to continue the tradition for as long as she lives.
“Bakit kami hihinto, hindi naman kami hihintuan ng biyaya ng Panginoon. Dumarating man ‘yung pagsubok, nalalampasan naman namin,” she said.
Carmelita has since passed on the commitment to her 13 grandchildren and some neighbors.
“Tuwing ganito, niyayaya namin ang mga gustong sumama sa amin. Nagrerenta kasi kami ng sasakyan at nagluluto ng kaunti, libre naman ito,” Carmelita narrated.
Meanwhile, 50-year-old Nelly Moral said it is her devotion to the Black Nazarene that gave her strength to work as a fishball vendor just to send all her four children to school.
“Siyempre dahil na rin po sa pagsisikap at sa panalangin na kami ay bigyan ng malakas na pangangatawan para makapaghanapbuhay, tatlo na po ‘yung napagtapos namin,” she said.
Nelly is amazed with the faith shown by Black Nazarene devotees.
“Tinatanong nga Siya, ‘Ama, bakit ba ganun na lang ang debosyon ng tao Sa’yo?’ Ako rin mismo po ay nasagot ko. Lahat kasi ng kailangan namin, basta taos-pusong ipanalangin ay ibinibigay niya,” Nelly said.
71-year-old Felicisimo Raif, who sells t-shirts printed with the image of the Black Nazarene every year on Jan. 9, related how it has been his family’s tradition to do so.
“Naging panata na naming ito at simula noon ay nawala ang pagiging sakitin ng bunsong anak ko,” Felicisimo said.
26-year-old Maribel Bonavente was in Quiapo with her husband, Rony, a garbage collector, and her baby. They are residents of Payatas, Quezon City.
“Ito po ang paraan namin para pasalamatan ang Diyos para sa lahat ng grasya na binigay niya – lalo na sa buhay na binigay niya,” Maribel said.
Maribel and her husband simply decided to become devotees of the Black Nazarene.
The couple feels so blessed doing so they continued with the practice and they are now on their fifth year.
Although living at a small apartment, they do not long for something greater or bigger. They are happy being wealthy in faith.
“Material things will go away someday, but our faith shall remain. It is our wealth. Something they can’t steal from us,” she said in Filipino.
Jesus Racaza, 76, a former Seventh-day Adventist, attended the high mass at Quiapo Church yesterday.
“When I was so down and was looking for a job, I went to Quiapo and prayed at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. God answered my prayer,” he said in Filipino.
“I became an engineer at Meralco. This made me decide to become a devotee,” he added.
Jesus said he has been a devotee of the Black Nazarene for more than 50 years now.
Racaza related how his son, who suffered mild stroke twice, is now walking and speaking as if nothing happened.
“The doctors were shocked that my son can speak and talk still despite two mild strokes. I influenced all my six children to become devotees of the Senyor,” he said.
He is not asking for anything yesterday. He just wanted to give thanks.
“I am very old. I have nothing more to ask for. We are here to give thanks to the Lamb of God,” the old man, who was barefoot, said.
The shirt he was wearing is already more than 20 years old. He said he only wears it on the Nazarene’s feast day.