Faithful share stories of devotion, blessings amid Traslacion

Armed with faith, millions of Black Nazarene devotees swarmed the streets of Manila on Tuesday, January 9, to join the 2024 Traslacion.

The Quiapo Church reported that as of 6 p.m., 6.5 million people participated in the procession of the statue of Jesus Christ.

One of them is Ariel Quijano, who flew from Davao City to Manila to participate in the procession and pray for her husband’s recovery.

“Viva! Mabuhay Poong Nazareno! Pasasalamat, at hinihiling ko na mapagaling ang asawa ko na may cancer stage 4,” Quijano said in Emil Sumangil’s “24 Oras” report when asked about her prayers to the Black Nazarene.

(Bless the Black Nazarene! I joined the Traslacion to thank God and pray for my husband who has stage 4 cancer.)

A key part of the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, the Traslacion is the procession of the 400-year-old black image of Jesus Christ or Nazareno from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church. It was suspended for three years due to COVID-19.

Devotees believe the Black Nazarene to be a source of miraculous healing and can grant prayers.

Septuagenarian Fe David and her son, Ronald, have been devotees of the Black Nazarene since 1971. They attended the procession this year, as the matriarch prayed for her children’s health and safety.

“Kaligtasan at para sa kalusugan ng aking mga anak,” she said.

(I am praying for my children’s health and safety.)

Jaymar Cordova, another devotee, said he had nothing to request from the Black Nazarene but still faithfully attends the Traslacion annually.

“10 years na po... Hanggang Quiapo na po ito,” he said.

(I’ve been attending for ten years.)

Meanwhile, medical volunteers immediately responded to several emergency cases, including several attendees who fell from the platform as they attempted to climb the andas of the image.

The Black Nazarene returned to its home at the Quiapo Church at 7:44 p.m., with the Traslacion taking 14 hours, 59 minutes, and 10 seconds. It left the Quirino Grandstand at 4:45 a.m. — Sundy Mae Locus/DVM, GMA Integrated News