MANILA, Philippines -- Each year, on January 9, a literal flood of Filipino Catholics --last year, police estimated some 2.5 million -- swamps Manila’s Quiapo district to pay homage to the image of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, the Black Nazarene, in a unique display of religious fervor.

On this day, the life-sized, dark-skinned image of Christ bearing the cross is paraded on a “caroza” (carriage) drawn by maroon-clad male devotees from the Quiapo church, where it is enshrined, and back through a sea of devotees, many seeking answers to their prayers, or even a miracle, others in thanksgiving for favors granted.

Three devotees told INQUIRER.net why they come each year -- one of them for a quarter of a century now -- to a celebration that is physically taxing and even potentially dangerous to life and limb.

Edilberto Soleta, 60, credits the Nazarene for rescuing him from his addictions to drugs and sex.

Danilo Nacional has come to the feast of the Nazarene for the past 11 years, believing the image miraculously saved his son, who had been badly hurt in a vehicular accident.

This year is the 25th that fishball vendor Rick Manansala will be attending the feast of the Nazarene, to whom he attributes a more mundane but, to millions of poor Filipinos no less precious, gift, the education of his four children.

"Kahit napakahirap dahil sa sobrang siksikan at lagi kang parang madidisgrasya, kayang gawin [No matter how difficult it is because of the crowds and the potential danger, I manage to do it]," Nacional, 46, explained why he has braved being crushed in the throng of devotees, many of them barefoot, seeking a chance to touch the Nazarene or wipe it with handkerchiefs of towels they believe will preserve some of the miraculous powers of the image, which has survived fires that destroyed the Quiapo church in 1791 and 1929, the big earthquakes of 1645 and 1863, and the bombing of Manila in World War II.

"Noon napakarami kong bisyo, halos hindi ko na mabilang. Pero nakapagbagong-buhay ako dahil sa tulong ng Poong Nazareno [Before I had so many vices, I could hardly count them. But my life changed through the help of the Lord Nazarene]," Soleta, who joined a vigil for the image at Luneta Park’s Quirino Granstand Thursday night, said.

Soleta, 60, told of a life of drugs and mistresses, and marriage to two women.

At one point, he said he ordered one of his wives to get an abortion because they had no money to sustain their growing family.

"Nagawa ko 'yun [abortion] dahil hindi pa ako malapit sa Diyos. Ngayon pinagsisihan ko na lahat. Iniwan ako ng mga asawa ko, lumayo ang mga anak ko. Pero nanalig ang pananampalataya ko [I did that because I was not close to God. Now I regret everything. I was left by my wives, my children abandoned me. But my faith helped me overcome these]," said Soleta, a devotee for almost 10 years.

This was after a Catholic charismatic group in Malabon introduced Soleta to the Black Nazarene and his life changed for the better.

"Hindi kumpleto ang taon ko kapag hindi ako nakahawak sa tali ng prosesyon [My year is never complete unless I touch the rope of the procession]," he said, referring to the rope with which the carriage bearing the Nazarene is pulled.

Now that he believes he has God's forgiveness, Soleta has one more favor to ask the Nazarene -- to see his four children.

Manansala, who never fails to attract double takes because he is a dead ringer for another, more famous, devotee, Vice President Noli de Castro, credits the Nazarene for getting him through difficult times.

To this day, the fishball vendor can still not believe how he managed to send his four children through school. One is now a nurse, two are computer technicians.

"Siguro ngayong taon ay wala na akong hiling dahil naibigay na niya lahat sa akin. Ang pag-aaral ng aking mga anak, nabigay na niya [Maybe this year I have nothing more to ask because he has given me everything. He has given me the education of my children]," Manansala said.

But Manansala said he will continue to come to the Nazarene’s feast in thanksgiving for all the blessings he has received for more than two decades.

This year, Catholic officials, in an effort to lessen the dangers to devotees -- last year, authorities said two people died in the crush -- decided to change the route of the procession.

From the traditional kick-off from the Quiapo church, the procession’s start has been moved to the Quirino Grandstand.

The route shall take the image through Burgos St., left at Taft Ave, McArthur Bridge, going to Rizal Ave, right at Claro M. Recto, right again at Legarda, right at Arlegui St., left at Quezon Blvd, right at Palanca St., right again at Villalobos towards Plaza Miranda.

It is a sure bet that whatever the hardships and risks, devotees will keep on flocking to Quiapo each year to revere the Nazarene.

"Huwag tayong susuko, kung ano man ang ating hiling makikinig siya [Let’s not give up, whatever we ask for he will listen]," Soleta said.