CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines—Thousands of Roman Catholic devotees from as far as Zamboanga, Butuan and Davao flocked here on Friday to join the procession of the Black Nazarene—believed to be the first time such an event was held in Mindanao.

Devotees walked barefoot from the Cathedral of San Agustin to the Nazareno Church, about 3 kilometers away.

Replica

In contrast to the tumultuous procession in Manila, the 6,000 devotees walked quietly, although shouts of “Viva Nazareno!” were heard intermittently.

A replica of the image of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila was flown here this week to give Mindanaoans a chance to pay homage to Christ.

“Our original plan was to borrow just the clothes so we can use it for our own Black Nazarene image here. But Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio, the parish priest of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene [in Quiapo], told us they have decided to bring [the replica] here and make the Nazareno Church its permanent home,” Msgr. Elmer Abacahin of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro said.

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma told the faithful: “Our devotion to Him may pave the way to peace in Mindanao.”