Feast of Black Nazarene set Monday

Friday, January 6, 2012

THOUSANDS of Catholic devotees and religious people are expected to join the annual procession celebrating the feast of Black Nazarene on Monday.

Wenceslao Salcedo, head of Hijos de Nazareno in Cagayan de Oro, said they have conducted a meeting last December 30, which was attended by the church, local government officials and police, to ensure orderly and safety of Monday’s procession.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

At least 50 members of Hijos de Nazareno will take part in the procession while preparations for the activity have been made before New Year’s Day.

Salcedo said the starting point of the procession will be the same last year, which will be at the boundary of Barangays Lapasan and Gusa, and will start around 3:30 p.m.

He said from the starting point, the procession will go straight to Lapasan junction beside Ororama Megacenter, would turn right to Agora Market City, turn left to Gaabucayan St., turn left to Julio Pacana St., turn left to Gaisanao City, turn right to Corrales St., turn left to Antonio Luna St., turn left to Osmeña St. and turn left back to Nazareno Parish.

Salcedo said confetti will be showered in Barangay Lapasan and Gaisano overpass when the replica arrives while a silent drill would be conducted by the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Barangay 23.

He said many devotees are expected to join the procession after the wake of Tropical Storm Sendong.

“I feel that many will attend since it is evident on New Year’s Day that only a few attended the Mass,” Salcedo told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

He said devotees from Iligan City will also join the procession.

Salcedo added that the replica of Black Nazarene will be brought to Barangay Dansolihon on Friday for an overnight stay.

Surigao del Norte Bishop Antonieto D. Cabahug, SVD, will reportedly preside a concelebrated Mass around 7:30 a.m. at the Nazareno Parish.

In 2009, the replica of the Black Nazarene from Quiapo Church in Manila was turned over to Cagayan de Oro City to give the devotees in Mindanao a chance to join the annual feast.

Thousands of devotees from different places in Mindanao and some coming from the Visayas have since joined the annual event.

On December 9, 2011, the Jesus of Nazarene Parish was declared as an archdiocesan shrine by Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, making also the installation of Msgr. Rey Manuel Monsanto, JCD, as the shrine’s first rector.