Millions of Nazarene devotees gather despite terror threat

Monday, January 9, 2012

MANILA (Updated) -- Three million devotees filled the streets of Manila for the 405th celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene despite warning of a possible attack by a terror group.

The procession is moving at snail’s pace because of the huge number of people trying to touch the Black Nazarene image said to have miraculous healing power.

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Authorities expected the number to hit eight million as the five kilometer procession progresses from Quirino Grandstand to the charred statue's home in Quiapo Church. It started at 8 a.m.

“After talking to some devotees, I think more people came this year than the last time,” Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene Rector Monsignor Clemente Ignacio said, adding that the procession is expected to last from 10 to 12 hours.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, the image was still near the National Museum, which was only about a kilometer from the Quirino Grandstand where the procession started. The slow-moving procession has been the hallmark tradition for years.

Devotees, who cannot reach the carriage where the Black Nazarene image was, threw their handkerchiefs or towels to marshals on board. The marshals wiped the handkerchiefs or towels on the image and threw them back.

MANILA. Tens of thousands of Catholic devotees gather at the Rizal Park Monday to parade the image of the Black Nazarene believed to have healing powers, during its annual festival in Manila. (AP)

A stampede marred the start of the Black Nazarene procession at the Quirino Grandstand on Monday. (Screen grab from an ANC report)

Ignacio admitted that President Benigno Aquino III’s warning of a possible terrorist attack was given a thought.

“They (security officials) are coordinating. I and Archbishop (Luis Antonio) Tagle were also thinking and discerning. The archbishop made a consultation but the consensus was we (have to) go on,” Ignacio said.

Tagle, for his part, thanked Aquino for taking a pro-active stance in addressing the security threat.

Director General Nicanor Bartolome, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said as of 4 p.m. Monday, no major untoward incident had happened, except for some people who fainted because of the heat.

Bartolome has placed the entire 15,000-strong police force in Metro Manila under full alert for Monday’s religious festivity.

Bartolome directed National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Alan Purisima to field all available mobile and foot patrol units around the Quiapo area and along the procession routes from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Basilica.

Explosion of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices were banned, while unruly and persons under the influence of drugs and alcohol were warned to be evicted from the activity.

The chief PNP mobilized the PNP Health Service to field its paramedic and emergency medical teams to assist distressed devotees who may suffer from heat stroke, exhaustion, cuts, bruises, sprains, breathing discomfort, and other injuries associated with heavily crowded environment.

There were also 350 staff and volunteers and 19 ambulances deployed by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in areas in Metro Manila to render first aid to injured patients during the feast. The PRC said it has attended to 137 devotees in this year's Black Nazarene procession as of 1:10 p.m. Monday.

K-9 units from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Coast Guard augmented the security of the police.

Malacañang, meanwhile, defended the temporary disruption of cell phone signals in Quiapo, saying it was part of additional security measures following reports of terror threats.

“We feel that it (disruption of mobile signal) is warranted as an additional security measure and is necessary for us to ensure that nothing untoward will happen during the period of the procession and the celebration,” Valte said.

However, several groups criticized the government’s move, saying security measure will also be compromised. With the signal shutdown, police personnel reportedly experienced communication problems while the public unable to report any possible untoward incidents. But Valte said the public could still use landlines to be able to report them.

The signal shutdown was part of security measures agreed upon by the President and the authorities during their meeting last Sunday since cell phones have been used to detonate bombs. It lasted for the whole duration of the procession.

Classes in Metro Manila were also suspended to ensure the safety of pupils and students during the celebration.

An ANC report said classes were suspended in Apolinario Mabini Elementary School, Geronimo Santiago Elementary School, Ramon Avanceña High School, Manila High School, Manila Science High School, Araullo High School, University of the East-Manila, University of the Philippines–Manila, Far Eastern University–Manila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines–Manila, University of Santo Tomas, San Sebastian College, Adamson University, Unibersidad de Manila, Colegio de San Juan De Letran, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, City College of Manila, and Adamson University.

The Minor Basilica of Quiapo said the statue of the Nazarene arrived in Manila from Mexico in 1607. During the voyage, the ship caught fire but miraculously, the statue was not burned but its color turned black.

From that time on, the image was named the Black Nazarene.

During the great fires that hit the Church of Quiapo in 1791 and 1929, and the destructive earthquakes of 1645 and 1863, the Black Nazarene statue again survived unscathed.

Even during the bombing of Manila towards the end of World War II, the Black Nazarene was not damaged, prompting the faithful and church authorities to believe the statue is miraculous.

Many have testified that they have been healed after praying to God by attending novenas of the Black Nazarene. (AMN/Virgil Lopez/Jill Beltran/PNA/Sunnex)