Michael Santos Martin, 42, first turned to the Black Nazarene in 1997 to pray for the healing of his sickly child, who, he said, was miraculously healed by the holy image.
Since then, Martin became a devotee and vowed to join the annual Traslacion of the Black Nazarene, deemed by many as miraculous. He attributes many of his life’s miracles to the iconic Nazarene image, which he said were all granted because of his deep faith and devotion.
“Kasi napakamiraculous ng Nazareno, lahat ng kahilingan mo matutupad basta yung panata mo mataimtim,” Martin told INQUIRER.net in an interview on Tuesday.
(The Nazarene is very miraculous; all your wishes will come true as long as your devotion is very sincere.)
Every year, millions of devotees flock to Quiapo Church in Manila to join the Traslacion and pray for miracles in their own lives. And every year, its followers grow—from about 15 million last year, it grew to around 19 million this year, based on the Church’s estimate.
The sheer number of people who express their devotion to the miraculous image shows how Filipinos relate themselves to the image—a rare representation of Jesus Christ: black, genuflecting, and carrying a cross—said Fray Arniel Alvarez of the Augustinian order.
“The Filipinos are feeling with the Black Nazarene, nakikita nila, naa-identify nila yung sarili nila na nahihirapan, nadadapa, bumabangon sa bigat ng krus na dinadala nila,” Alvarez told INQUIRER.net in an interview.
(They see, they identify themselves suffering, stumbling, and rising back from all the burden of the cross they bear.)
In a country where millions live in poverty and thousands leave their families to find greener pastures abroad, the Nazarene and its promise of miracles become the devotees’ source of strength and faith.
“Lahat naman tayo may krus na dinadala, kaya pag nakikita ng mga Pilipino ‘yung Black Nazarene, nakikita nila na bumabangon ulit, pasan-pasan ang krus at niyayakap ang krus na iyon,” Alvarez said.
(We all have a cross to bear, that’s why when Filipinos see the Black Nazarene, they see themselves get back on their feet again bearing that cross and embrace that cross.) /jpv
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