Feast of Hesus Nazareno set

After Christmas, the church focuses on the feast of Hesus Nazareno on January 9, 2022. The Black Nazarene known as Poóng Itím na Nazareno, Hesus Nazareno, is a life-sized image of a dark-skinned, kneeling Jesus Christ carrying the Cross enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in the Quiapo district of the City of Manila, Philippines.

The Black Nazarene was carved by an unknown Mexican artist from dark wood in the 16th century and then brought to the Philippines in 1606. It depicts Jesus en route to his crucifixion. Pope Innocent X granted recognition to the lay Confraternity of Santo Cristo Jesús Nazareno in 1650 for the promotion of the devotion to Jesus through the icon. It was housed in various churches near Manila in the early decades, arriving in Quiapo Church in 1787 where it has been enshrined ever since. The icon is renowned in the Philippines and is considered by many Filipino Catholics to be miraculous; its mere touch reputed is to cure disease. It attracts homage from numerous devotees, who bear it in mass processions.

The parish church of Black Nazarene in Binanuanan Pequeño, Calabanga with their devotion before the pandemic.

However, with the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, many could not be physically present in Quiapo Church or at the Luneta Grandstand to witness the annual Traslacion in honor of the Black Nazarene, popularly known as Poong Nazareno.

In the Archdiocese of Caceres, there is a parish that was established to honor the Black Nazarene in Binanuaanan Pequeño Calabanga Cam Sur. Fr. Russell Pletado is the new parish priest. They usually have the procession and novenario in honor of the miraculous Nazareno.

In Naga, the Holy Cross Parish in Tabuco also holds big celebration every 9th of January. It was announced that on the 7th at 5:30pm, there will be an blessing of the replicas of Hesus Nazareno. The usual mass and procession in Naga will still be announced depending on the situation of the city.

Another pilgrimage site in Bicol is the Diocesan Shrine of Jesus the Black Nazarene of Capalonga and Parish of Saint Lucy Virgin and Martyr, Capalonga, Camarines Norte. This church traces its beggining as a “visita” of Paracale in 1632 and became parish in 1634. From 1708, the first Bicolano priest, Bachiller Don Gregorio Cabalquinto was parish priest of this town for forty years.

Since then, as people’s faith grows and deepens, it emerged and became known as a place of pilgrimage for individuals from different towns, province and even races particularly Chinese devotees who found unique devotion to Jesus the Black Nazarene.

Pope Innocent X approved veneration of the image in 1650 as a sacramental, and authorised the establishment of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Jesus Nazarene (Spanish: Cofradía de Nuestro Santo Jesús Nazareno).

For most of the Spanish Era, indigenous Filipinos were barred from Holy Orders, while confraternities were groups of laymen and thus an open option for religious life.

Pope Pius VII granted the image his Apostolic Blessing in 1880, which granted a plenary indulgence to those who piously pray before it.