Filipino devotees carry the image of the Black Nazarene for its annual procession to celebrate its feast day. AP FILE PHOTO
President Duterte on Monday joined Filipino Catholics in the yearly celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene, which culminates with the traditional procession of the iconic religious image in Manila.
In his message, the President recognized the sacrifices of the millions of Black Nazarene devotees who braved physical difficulties and terror threats to join the country’s biggest religious gathering.
Mr. Duterte, who has been attacking the Catholic church for its criticisms of his brutal drug war, also acknowledged the “phenomenal expression of faith” of the devotees “in the form of gratitude, petition and sacrifice shown in the image of the Black Nazarene.”
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“My administration has deep empathy for the core of faith that pushes the masses of Filipinos to resort to sacrifice every single day, while still finding a piece of themselves to honor God— whose image we recognize in the man of Nazarene, who carried his cross to redeem the rest of humankind,” the President said.
“We are neither exhausted by praying constantly nor do we ever falter in expressing our religious fervor. Despite the passage of time, we relentlessly fight against injustice and lies, abuse of power and the corruption that eats up the soul,” he added.
The President said the devotees’ prayers were “likely answered because we do not give up or get tired from asking God for the fulfillment of our heart’s desires.”
“Through our fervent prayers for the country, let us join the Catholic faithful in the passionate observance of the feast of the Black Nazarene,” he said.
READ: Nazarene devotion: Portrait of a nation
Mr. Duterte convened the top brass of the police and the military in Malacanang last Friday after Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno claimed members of the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters had travelled to Metro Manila to sow terror during the Black Nazarene procession, more known as “traslacion.”
Malacanang said the President was satisfied with the security measures laid out by the authorities to thwart any terror attack./rga