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Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Stampede mars procession; 1 dead, 10 hurt
By Jonathan F. Fernandez and Marie S. Neri
MANILA -- A male devotee of the Black Nazarene was killed while 10 others were injured in a stampede during a procession of the religious image in Quiapo, Manila Monday afternoon.
The fatality was identified only as Dante, believed to be between 40 to 50 years old. Doctors said Dante suffered severe contusions and was already dead when brought to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
Among those injured were Rolando Santos, Kristeta Clemente, Jerry Julian, Ian Jayvee Dali-dali, Eduardo Marsul, Ricky Flores and a certain Carolina. They sustained cuts and bruises and are confined at the PGH.
Senior Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, chief of the Manila Police District (MPD)-Station 3, said the stampede happened during the parade of the Black Nazarene which started at 2 p.m. Monday.
Sapitula said prior to the incident, thousands of devotees scrambled and pushed to touch the statue, which is believed to be miraculous.
In his homily during the Mass at the Quiapo Church, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales enjoined devotees of the Black Nazarene to pray that "we be given another chance to renew our and strengthen our faith to the Lord."
Rosales said unity and freedom will remain elusive in the country unless Filipinos fully accepted the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ in their hearts.
He also said the current political and economic crises confronting the nation would continue until the people learn to show respect and kindness to others, especially the poor and underprivileged.
Rosales added that the fact the Lord picked Mary to be the mother of Jesus Christ who chose to be raised in a simple and unpopular village shows that God wanted the Savior to be a simple human being that the people of Nazareth would not fear.
The prelate also said: "If we could only find this kindness in our hearts and open up ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we would be facing new chapters in our lives and renewals and transformation would happen in an instant.
"This God is only asking for a very small thing but it is us who fail to understand it because we don't have in our hearts the baptism of the Holy Spirit that cleanses our souls," he said.
The Black Nazarene statue was brought to Manila by a Mexican priest in 1606 and the religious image has been housed at the St. John the Baptist Church in Quiapo since 1787.
Aside from the Feast of the Black Nazarene celebrated every January 9, the image is also being brought out on Good Friday for a procession.
The annual fiesta attracts devotees, mostly males dressed in maroon t-shirts, who help tug the carroza bearing the image of the Black Nazarene through Quiapo's streets. Others toss towels or any piece of clothing to wipe the image, the carroza, or even just the ropes that pull it, believing that it has miraculous benefits. (Sunnex)
(January 10, 2006 issue)
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