PROMINENT CHURCH The Catholic faithful gather in front of Quiapo Church, home to the widely revered Black Nazarene. —file photo
Manila’s Quiapo Church, which houses the widely revered Black Nazarene icon, has officially been recognized as a national shrine for pilgrims.
Church leaders approved the elevation of Quiapo Church from an archdiocesan shrine to a national shrine during the 126th plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) held in Kalibo, Aklan, over the weekend.
Given the title “National Shrine of the Black Nazarene,” Quiapo Church is the country’s 29th national shrine.
Last May 10, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula formally elevated Quiapo Church to an archdiocesan shrine, recognizing the church as a national pilgrimage site.
Even before it was officially recognized as a shrine, Quiapo Church has been one of the country’s prominent churches since devotees attribute miracles to the life-size image of a dark-skinned Christ carrying a cross.
The Feast of the Black Nazarene celebrated every Jan. 9 draws over a million of devotees.
The annual procession used to be held only in Quiapo Church, but in recent years the Feast of the Black Nazarene has been celebrated in various churches around the country and even abroad. INQ