Filipino devotees self-flagellate, defying ban on gatherings

MANILA -- Barefoot and with their backs bloodied by repeated flogging, Catholic devotees in the Philippines defied a ban on gatherings on Good Friday to perform a ritual of self-flagellation as a means of atonement during Holy Week.

Participants were few compared to recent years, after authorities reimposed tight restrictions in response to a jump in coronavirus infections, worsened by the spread of more transmissible variants.

But near one church in Manila's Tondo area, about 10 devotees, wearing face masks and with the cloth cut away from the backs, struck their backs with bamboo whips swung rhythmically from left to right as they walked.

"I prayed for my parents. I'm thankful they haven't gotten sick," said 25-year-old devotee Melvin Devibar. "Even during this pandemic, I don't believe we will be affected by COVID as long as we pray."

Other, larger groups from other areas had sought to join the flagellation ritual at the Tondo church but were stopped at police checkpoints and made to turn back.

The Philippines reported a daily record 15,310 new coronavirus infections on Friday, one of the region's highest since the pandemic started, bringing its total to 771,497 cases, among the most in Asia.

Many Filipinos perform religious penance in the week leading to Easter in the hope they will be cleansed of sins and illnesses and their wishes might be granted.

But the Catholic Church, the dominant faith in the Philippines, has expressed disapproval of self-flagellation and considers it an extreme misinterpretation of faith.

It says prayers and sincere repentance are enough to commemorate Lent.

-reuters- 

Early start for Traslacion 2020

Catholic devotees chant "Viva! Viva!" as the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene begins a few minutes after 4 a.m. at the Quirino Grandstand on Thursday. Millions of devotees are expected to join the annual procession of the Black Nazarene to Quiapo Church.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Traslacion crosses Jones bridge

Devotees flock as a carriage bearing an image of the Black Nazarene makes its way through the Jones bridge in Manila on Tuesday. The Traslacion is expected to end earlier compared to previous years which lasted more than twenty hours.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Black Nazarene returns after 22 hours

Devotees flock toward the image of the Black Nazarene as it reaches outside the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene during the annual Traslacion in Manila on Tuesday. The carriage arrived at the Quiapo Church around 3:30 a.m., 22 hours after it started from the Quirino Grandstand on January 9.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Devotees of Santo Nino find 'home' in busy Makati

MANILA -- Many devotees of the Santo Niño celebrated the feast of the Child Jesus on Sunday with both prayer and merry-making in such places as Tondo and Pandacan in Manila, Kalibo in Aklan, and the cities of Iloilo and Cebu, where colorful festivals and dances regaled huge crowds of revelers and believers.

However, for 30 years now, there is a small chapel at the center of a bustling business district that has also become a haven for devotees of the Infant Jesus in the city.

Sto. Niño de Paz-Greenbelt Chapel joined the rest of devotees in the country in honoring the Holy Child on Sunday, gathering residents from nearby villages, loyal Mass goers and the usual Sunday traffic of shoppers and visitors in prayer and celebration.

“That the Sto. Niño de Paz was set by Divine Providence to be present in the financial and business center of the Philippines has a purpose and mission,” said Fr. Rufino Sescon Jr., its chaplain for close to nine years now.

While the traditional devotion and celebration still marked the chapel’s observance of the feast of the Santo Niño, he said the Divine Child offers devotees the real values of life through the celebration.

“In a setting pervaded by materialism, individualism, consumerism, excessive competition, and so many pseudo-values of the world, the Christ-child is offered to us as an invitation to spirituality, community, charity, humility, purity,” he said.

Most popular devotion

The devotion to the Santo Niño is considered the most popular among Filipino Catholics, after the first image of the Child Jesus was brought to Cebu and given as a baptismal gift to Raja Humabon’s wife by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.

Now the oldest and most revered religious icon in the country, the Santo Niño of Cebu enshrined at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu initiated the Christianization of Filipinos 448 years ago on April 28, 1565.

“The devotion to the Sto. Niño is peculiar to Filipino Catholics,” Father Sescon said. “That is why we have a special indult (permit) from Rome to celebrate the third Sunday of January to honor the Sto. Niño. But in the universal church, there is also devotion to the child Jesus.”

He said the devotion is officially recognized because it is “very popular, truly Filipino, and truly Catholic.”

In addition, while the Santo Niño procession in Tondo does not gather millions of people as the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, he believes the Infant Jesus has more devotees because the devotion to the Santo Niño is not concentrated in one place

“Every province or major region would have a Sto. Niño festival, shrine or center of devotion (Tondo, Pandacan, Kalibo, Romblon, Iloilo, Cebu, Tacloban, etc.) and there are many parishes dedicated to the Sto. Niño,” he said.

Indeed, the image of the Santo Niño garbed in the traditional red manto and regalia or dressed up in different kinds and styles of clothes as interpreted by their owners are found anywhere as there are devotees—in the family altars of homes, schools, offices, community stores and even inside jeepneys.

Christ-child values

Father Sescon said the innocence, purity and humility of the Christ-child are what attract devotees to the Santo Niño.

He explained: “A baby in the family is a sign of joy and blessing. That God became a baby is a source of joy and blessing because God fulfilled His promise to save humanity. A child is never threatening. His power is in his weakness. His force is his love. For God to be powerful is expected, but for God to become a child (so helpless and small) is unexpected. The Christ-child is a testimony that God is love!”

He reminded devotees though that the reverence and adoration offered to the Santo Niño go beyond having their prayers answered.

It is meant to be a way of life, a model of discipleship, and a means to have a personal relationship with God as Father, he said.

A real Sto. Niño devotee, he added, is not just prayerful but child-like and Christ-like.

He said: “Since our devotion is also directed to Sto. Niño de Paz (Holy Child of Peace), we are also invited to be peace lovers and peacemakers. Peace is the message and gift of Sto. Niño de Paz!”

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Some devotees try to divert Nazarene procession to old route

Some devotees are trying to divert the direction of the procession of the Black Nazarene back to its old route.

Radio dzMM's Noel Alamar said the devotees were divided as the procession approached the detour leading to Jones Bridge and MacArthur Bridge.

Alamar said some devotees removed a number of 40-footer container vans supposed to block the way to MacArthur Bridge, which was already filled with devotees waiting for the image.

The new route, however, was eventually followed.

Radio dzMM reporter Ruby Tayag, however, said the carriage or "andas" was already at the foot of Jones Bridge, as of posting.

The container vans toppled by the devotees were also brought back to their original position.

Supt. Raymund Liguden, Manila Police District Station 11's officer-in-charge, said some 110 policemen from the Northern Police District were deployed to Escolta area where the procession was supposed to pass through.

"Nagpadala tayo doon ng 110 police augmentation from Northern Police District para walang magda-divert sa ulo ng procession…Tinitiyak natin na malinis ang Escolta, at walang paparadang sasakyan. Ang mga business establishments, parang sarado po sila," Liguden said.

From Quirino Grandstand, the statue of the Black Nazarene passed through Katigbak Drive, Padre Burgos, straight through Taft Avenue.

From Jones Bridge, the procession should turn right to Escolta, left to Quezon Boulevard, Arlegui, Fraternal, right to Vergara Street, and Duque de Alba Street.

From there, it should pass through Castillejos, Farnecio, Arlegui, Nepomuceno, Aguila, Carcer, then straight to Hidalgo towards Plaza del Carmen, Bilibid Viejo, Puyat, Guzman, Hidalgo, Barbosa, Globo de Oro, Palanca, Lanace, Villalobos, and then back to Plaza Miranda.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) earlier approved the usage of the bridge in the annual procession but took back permission due to concerns over the bridge's stability.

DPWH Undersecretary Romeo Momo warned that the bridge may not be strong enough to carry the huge crowd that will pass through it.

"Iyung four lanes, kung mao-okupa ng tao lahat iyan, iyan ay nasa 7 to 8 thousand kilograms. That is from one abutment to the other abutment, and from one bank to the other bank. Assuming nasa 50 kilos per person, eh di nasa 40,000 kilos o 40 tons, which is way beyond our design load capacity of 20 tons," Momo told dzMM in an earlier interview.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Angeline Quinto to brave Black Nazarene feast

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News' Marie Lozano, the 24-year-old singer recalled turning to the Black Nazarene when her mother was gravely ill.

"Nag 50-50 siya. Hindi ko alam kung mabubuhay pa talaga siya. Kaya everyday akong pumupunta sa kanya [Black Nazarene] noon. 'Yun lang yung dinasal ko tapos biglang naging okay si mama," she shared.

Narrating a time she took part in the Black Nazarene feast in Quiapo, Manila, Quinto said, "Nagulat na lang ako nakasampa talaga ako [sa float]. Tapos noong una, kinakabahan ako dahil nakita kong parating na lahat nung tao na kasama nung Nazareno. Pero sabi ko, hindi. Nandito na ako. Gusto ko naman talaga ito gawin."

"Nahalikan ko po 'yung kamay niya," she said.

Asked to recall how she felt when she touched the Black Nazarene, Quinto was at a loss for words.

"Sobrang nakakaiyak lalo na pag nandoon ka sa taas tapos nakikita mo 'yung mga tao na nagkakandarapa makaakyat tapos ikaw 'yung nandoon. Parang hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko kung hindi thank you lang," she said.

Since then, Quinto said she has had a lot to be thankful for to the Black Nazarene, especially when it comes to her career.

"Sa totoo lang, ang hiniling ko lang noon ay magkaroon ng isang trabaho na regular sa pamamagitan ng pagkanta ko. Hindi ko po hiniling na kung baga na makanalo sa mga contests," she said.

Quinto was referring to her win in ABS-CBN's "Star Power" in 2011, which paved the way for her to become one of the most decorated and best-selling female artists in the country.

"Kaya talagang naniniwala ako na kahit anong hilingin mo sa kanya, hindi man ngayong dumating, basta marunong ka lang mahintay, darating at darating," she said.

This year, to express her gratitude for the Black Nazarene, Quinto said that she will once again brave the millions-strong crowd to touch the image.

"This year, pag ma-contact ko ulit 'yung grupo na tumulong sa akin, sasampa ulit ako," she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

NCRPO ready for Black Nazarene procession

MANILA -- National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria on Wednesday declared all systems go for the Feast of the Black Nazarene tomorrow where millions of devotees are expected to join.

According to Valmoria, they have already completed their security preparations for tomorrow's procession of the image of the Black Nazarene.

Valmoria declined to announce the number of police officers deployed for tomorrow's event, but assured the public that they have enough to ensure peace and order.

He also said that there is no need to jam cellphone signals like last year since there are no security threats to the procession.

Some 12 million devotees are expected to join the procession of the image of the Black Nazarene towards the Basilica Minore in Quiapo tomorrow.

The procession will begin right after the mass presided by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle at 6 a.m.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com