Black Nazarene

Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno (Filipino: Mahál na Poóng Jesús Nazareno), officially and liturgically known as Jesús Nazareno, and popularly known as the Black Nazarene (Spanish: El Nazareno Negro; Filipino: Poóng Itím na Nazareno),^[1] is a life-sized dark statue of Jesus Christ carrying the True Cross. The venerated image is enshrined in the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines.^[2]

Black Nazarene Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno
Location	Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno – Saint John the Baptist Parish (Quiapo Church), Quiapo, Manila, Philippines
Date	1606 Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
Witness	Augustinian Recollects Basilio Tomás Sancho de Santa Justa y Rufina, Archbishop of Manila
Type	Wood carving
Approval	Pope Innocent X Pope Pius VII Pope John Paul II
Venerated in	Catholic Church
Shrine	Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno
Patronage	Quiapo, Tagalogs, Filipinos, Philippines
Attributes	Dark skin, maroon and gold vestments, the Cross
Feast day	January 9

The image was reputedly carved by an unknown Mexican artist in the 16th century and then brought to the Philippines in 1606.^[2][3] It depicts Jesus en route to his crucifixion.

Pious believers claim that physically touching the image can grant miracles and cure diseases.^[2][3][4] The original image or its replica is brought out in procession three times a year:

• January 9 — the Feast of the Black Nazarene, the octave day of the traditional Feast of Most Holy Name of Jesus (the original dedication of Quiapo Church). It is now considered a national liturgical feast day. “Traslación” is the name of the procession reenacting the transfer of the image from Intramuros.^[5]
• Good Friday — commemorating the culmination of the Passion of Jesus.
• December 31 — New Year’s Eve, marking the start of the novena.^[3][6] It is also called as Walk of Thanksgiving^[7] or the Thanksgiving Procession^[8].

Name and parts

The image derives its official name from "Nazarene", a title of Christ identifying him as a native of Nazareth, along with its dark complexion (unusual for depictions of Jesus, even in the Philippines).

The Roman Catholic Church encourages the image to be called Jesús Nazareno. Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula issued a decree on October 3, 2024 renaming the host church and the image to Jesus Nazareno to "further focus the people on the holy name of our Lord than a color or attribute".^[9]

Main carriage

The ándas of the image during the 2024 Traslación

The image's wooden base is referred to as the peana while its carriage or carroza used in processions is called the ándas (from the Spanish andar, "to move forward"). The term ándas commonly refers to the shoulder-borne palanquins of religious images, and was retained for the icon's carriage which replaced the silver palanquins used until the late 20th century.

Composition and main replica

There is no singular complete image of the Black Nazarene as there are several images and replicas in different combinations.^[10]

• The head of the original venerated image and its original right foot are on the statue enshrined in the high altar called Venerado, which has a body made of molave wood (Vitex parviflora or Vitex cofassus). The original cross is attached in this image, however a significant part of it was cut-off and was distributed to devotees during the "400 years" celebration in 2006.
• The Vicário is the replica processional image, used for the annual Traslación, as well as the New Year's Eve and Good Friday processions and retains the original body torso, with a replica head of Litsea leytensis wood (Filipino: Batikulíng).
• The original left and right hand of the image, as well as the original left foot, is kept within the Rector's office. The original hands are used for blessing people, especially the sick and dying.

Callejeros

Aside from the replica images called Venerado and the Vicário, the basilica also maintains other replicas of the image called Callejeros. At present, the shrine has five Callejero images: Uno, Dos, Katorse, Disisiete, and Señor Cabeza. The names of first four images refers to the number of replicas produced for the shrine when it was labeled.^[10]

The Señor Cabeza is a famed image previously maintained by Catholic priest, Father Emmanuel del Rosario of the Diocese of Cubao who also was a devotee of the Black Nazarene. After his death, the image was donated to the church as callejero on 26 October 2022.

Callejeros are considered by the shrine as official replicas of the Nazareno which is sent to visit various parishes across the different dioceses in the country. These visits are officially called as Dalaw Nazareno. On these visits, the callejeros are accompanied by the official standard banner of the Basilica and Shrine and one of the priests assigned in Quiapo Church would go and celebrate mass in the host church.^[10]

List of authorized replicas

The Quiapo Church also donates official replicas of the Nazareno to churches and shrines in the Philippines and abroad to promote and to spread the devotion to the image. Currently, they have donated 33 images to different dioceses and 5 of them were donated outside the Philippines.^[10]

No.	Diocese	Parish	Location
1	Archdiocese of Cagayan De Oro	Jesus Nazareno Parish	Claro M. Recto Avenue, Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental
2	Diocese of Iligan	Holy Cross Parish	Kalambugan, Lanao del Norte
3	Diocese of Ipil	Saint Joseph the Worker Cathedral Parish	Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay
4	Diocese of Borongan	Assumption of Our Lady Parish	Lalawigan, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
5	Diocese of Malolos	Saint James the Apostle Parish	Plaridel, Bulacan
6	Archdiocese of Capiz	Hesus Nazareno Mission Station	Baybay, Roxas City, Capiz
7	Diocese of Talibon	Santo Niño Parish	Anda, Bohol
8	Diocese of Catarman	Diocesan Shrine of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Saint Roch the Healer Parish)	Catarman, Northern Samar
9	Diocese of Bayombong	Saint Louis Beltran Parish	Solano, Nueva Vizcaya
10	Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay	Saint Mary Mission Station	Agutaya, Palawan
11	Archdiocese of Davao	San Alfonso Liguori Parish	Mandug, Davao City
12	Diocese of Tandag
13	Diocese of Tagum	Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Nazareno Parish	Apokon, Tagum
14	Prelature of Batanes	Basco Cathedral	Basco, Batanes
15	Diocese of Tarlac	Parish of the Black Nazarene	San Miguel, Tarlac City
16	Military Ordinariate of the Philippines	Bureau of Fire Protection Chapel	Bureau of Fire Protection National Headquarters, Sen. Miriam P. Defensor Santiago Avenue, Quezon City
17	Diocese of Tarlac	Mater Dolorosa Parish	Dolores, Capas, Tarlac
18	Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan	Jesus the Nazarene Parish	Dulag, Binmaley, Pangasinan
19	Diocese of Laoag	Saint William the Hermit Cathedral	Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
20	Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia	Our Lady of Lourdes Parish	Banayoyo, Ilocos Sur
21	Archdiocese of Las Vegas	St. Charbel Maronite Catholic Church	Rancho Destino Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada
22	Archdiocese of Singapore	Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea	Yishun, Singapore
23	Archdiocese of Palo	Saint Roch the Healer Parish	Manlurip, Tacloban City, Leyte
24	Diocese of Tagbilaran	Assumption of Our Lady Shrine-Parish	Dauis, Bohol
25	Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem	Our Lady Woman of Valor Church	Tel-Aviv, Israel
26	Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem	Saint Martha Monastery Passionist Church	Jerusalem
27	Diocese of Hong Kong	Saint Joseph Church	Garden Road, Hong Kong
28	Diocese of Balanga	Saint John the Evangelist Parish	Tapulao, Orani, Bataan
29	Diocese of Malaybalay	San Jose Chapel, San Isidro Cathedral	Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
30	Diocese of Imus	San Rafael Archangel Quasi-Parish	Tagaytay City, Cavite
31	Diocese of Tarlac	San Sebastian Cathedral Parish	Mabini, Tarlac City
32	Diocese of Bacolod	Mary, Queen of Peace Parish-Redemptorist	Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
33	Diocese of Cabanatuan	Saint Joseph, the Husband of Mary Parish	Bangad, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

History

Original image

The image enshrined above the high altar of the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno, Manila.

The image was made by an anonymous Mexican sculptor and arrived in Manila via galleon from Acapulco, Mexico. There is no definite date of the arrival of the image.^[10] The Augustinian Recollects asserted that during their arrival in the Philippines in 1606, the Nazareno is not one of the sacred images that they brought with them. ^[11] Nevertheless, it can be assumed that the image was already in the Philippines before the middle of the 17th century since Pope Innocent X authorized the Cofradìa del Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Confraternity of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth) on April 20, 1650.^[10]

Popular belief attributes the colour of the image to soot from votive candles burnt before it, although the most popular legend is that it was charred by a fire on the galleon that brought it from Mexico. Filipino Catholic theologian and church historian Monsignor Sabino Vengco, meanwhile, claims that the image is not charred, but is in fact dark through to its core, being carved from mesquite wood. Vengco based this claim on personal research in Mexico, where he said mesquite wood was a popular medium in the period the image was carved. He also likened it to Our Lady of Antipolo, another popular image of similar provenance and appearance.^[12]

The image was first enshrined in the Church of San Juan Bautista of the Augustinian Recollects in Bagumbayan, Luneta. In 1608, the image was transferred to the Church of San Nicolás de Tolentino (popularly known as the "Recoletos Church") inside Intramuros. It was enshrined in the retablo mayor or high altar of the church, leaving only for a procession on Palm Sunday. Both the church and the image were destroyed in the Allied bombardment of Manila during its liberation in 1945.

Replica and alleged vandalism

During his tenure as Archbishop of Manila in 1767-1787, Archbishop Basilio Sancho de Santa Justa y Rufina ordered the Augustinian Recollect priests the transfer a copy of the image to the Quiapo Church. The reason for this is to give devotees further access to the image and secure the safety of Intramuros from outsiders. Contrary to popular belief that this transfer occurred on 9 January 1787 which became the basis of Feast of the Black Nazarene celebrated by the faithful every January 9 through a procession (the Traslación), there is no available historical record to verify the exact date of transfer of the Nazareno from Intramuros to Quiapo.^[10]

The venerable image survived numerous fires, earthquakes, and other natural and human-caused calamities, especially the Philippine Revolution, the 1929 fire that destroyed the church, and the bombings of World War II.^[10]

In the 1980s, the rector of the Basilica, Rev. Msgr. Jose C. Abriol^[10], feared that the image might be damaged during the Traslación, fire, or natural disaster. He commissioned Gener Maglaqui, a santero ( a sculptor of religious images) from Quiapo, to sculpt a replica of the head and body. The original head now sits atop the 1980s body (the Venerado), which remains enshrined in church's main altar. The 1980s head was placed atop the original body (the Vicario). It is this composite combination which is used during major processions. ^[13]

There is a popular story about a fanatical Iglesia ni Cristo member^[a] shot the image's left cheek using a gun. It allegedly caused a hysterical commotion that led to the shooter's death and left a gunshot mark on the cheek of the Nazareno which has remained unrestored by pious popular demand. ^[15] However, public historian Xiao Chua interviewed Eugenio “Boy” Jongco, former president of the Hijos de Nazareno - Central and a witness of the event, to confirm the story. While he confirmed that there was a commotion and a shooting incident when the procession passed an Iglesia ni Cristo chapel in Concepcion Aguila St. during the mid-1980s, he clarified that the shooting incident was not directed to the image. He further clarified that a gunshot did not cause the hole in the image's face. It was a dent in the image ever since it was carved, and it was eventually revealed because of dryness and age over time. ^{[16] [17]}

Description

The Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno wears a braided wig made of dark, dyed abacá, along with a golden Crown of Thorns. Attached to the Crown are the traditional "Tres Potencias" ("three powers") halo, variously understood as symbolising the three powers of the Holy Trinity; the faculties of will, memory, and understanding in Christ's soul; or his exousia (authority), dunamis (power), and kratos (strength). These three rayos ("rays"), likely an angular variant of the cruciform halo, are used exclusively for and proper to images of Jesus Christ in traditional Filipino and Hispanic iconography to signify his divinity. The original image has lost several fingers over the centuries.

Jesus is shown barefoot and in a genuflecting posture, symbolising the agony and the weight of the Cross, along with the overall pain Christ endured during his Passion. The Cross itself is of black wood tipped with flat, pyramidal brass caps.

Vestments

The image is dressed in a heavy velvet tunic of maroon, embroidered with floral and plant designs using gold thread, and trimmed with a matching set of white lace collar and cuffs. Around the waist is a gold-plated metal belt embossed with the word "NAZARENO", while a golden chain ending in spheres is looped around the neck and held in the left hand, representing the Flagellation of Christ.

The vestments of the image are changed in the rite of Pabihis (English: Vesting the image), which is presided over by a Catholic priest vested in an alb, red cope and stole. Devotees watching the ceremony either sit inside the basilica, or follow along outside in Plaza Miranda. The rite comprises with several hymns, the reading of scriptural lessons, the recitation of prayers, and then the blessing of the new vestments. As a sign of modesty and reverence, a curtain is raised to shield the statue from public view as the male attendants called Hijos change its vestments, and then it is dropped once the actual changing is complete. The old vestments are folded and presented to the faithful, who queue to kiss and touch these in the belief these bear the image's miraculous properties. The rite of vesting is officiated five times a year in preparation for major religious occasions; since 2022, a few of the vesting day rites are also livestreamed online.

Pontifical approbations

• Pope Innocent X approved veneration of the image in 1650 as a sacramental, and authorized the establishment of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Jesus Nazarene (Spanish: Cofradía de Nuestro Santo Jesús Nazareno).^[18][19] 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 the Christological image.
• Pope John Paul II issued a Pontifical decree Qui Loco Petri which raised the shrine to the status of Minor Basilica on 11 December 1987. The decree was signed and notarized by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Agostino Casaroli.^[b]

Pious cult and veneration

Main article: Feast of the Black Nazarene

A replica of the Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno at Plaza Miranda during the 2011 Traslación.

Devotees raise their hands to receive blessings of the Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno after Mass at Quiapo Church.

Veneration of the Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno is rooted among Filipinos who strongly identify with the passion and suffering of Christ the image depicts. Many devotees of the venerated image relate their poverty and daily struggles to the Passion of Christ.

Some believers practice walking in barefoot as a form of piety while others make an effort to ride on the carriage in the belief of obtaining graces from the devotional image. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, procession of the image was relatively solemn and peaceful. The rowdy and massive nature of the procession began in the 1960s as the population grew and greater hype surrounded the image.

While the actual patron saint of the basilica is John the Baptist (making its feast day June 24, concurrent with the secular Manila Day), the Black Nazarene and its Traslación are more popular.

At the end of each Mass said in the basilica, devotees pay homage to the image by clapping their hands. In addition to the novena, Traslación, Pahalík, and the Pabihis, the Pasindí ("lighting") or lighting of votive candles is another popular devotion, as is the decades-old, reverential custom of creeping on one's knees down the main aisle towards the altar and image.

The Friday of each week in the year (except Good Friday, the image's liturgical commemoration) is colloquially known in Metro Manila as "Quiapo Day", since the novena for the image is held on this day nationwide. As with Wednesday (which is comparably called "Baclaran Day"), this day is associated with heavy traffic around the basilica due to the influx of devotees and pilgrims.

The attached Nazarene Catholic School (formerly the Quiapo Parochial School) reflects the devotion of school authorities; its official newsletter is likewise named "The Nazarene", with pupils called "Nazareñans."

The largest annual procession for the Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno is the January 9 Traslación procession on the Feast of the Black Nazarene, attracting millions of Catholic devotees, who try to touch or get their towel wiped by the image carriers on the image to attain its blessings and power.^[20][21][22] Along with Santo Niño (Child Jesus), it is the most popular object of devotion in the Philippines.^[23] In 2011, over six million Catholic devotees flocked to the Feast of the Black Nazarene.^[24]

Music

The hymn Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno was composed by National Artist of the Philippines, Lucio San Pedro to honor the image. It is used by the basilica as the official anthem to the image and associated rites.

The image is also prominently featured on the front cover of Pabasa books, a Lenten manual hymn commemorating the life and Passion of Jesus Christ.

Claims of indigenous idolatry

According to the rector of the basilica, Father José Clemente Ignacio, the image's procession and devotional practices reflect the "Filipino trait to want to wipe, touch, kiss, or embrace sacred objects if possible", and reflect an indigenous belief in "the presence of the Divine in sacred objects and places."^[25]

According to Jaime Laya, these practices are a modernized form of indigenous idolatry, a continuation of the pre-Christian practice of revering sacred objects by pious touching (Filipino: Hipo / Himas).^[26] Elizabeth Pisares also states that this is a revised idolatry of pre-colonial times, and suggests its link with social disparities among Filipinos.^[27]

According to Mariano Barbato, the debate over the icon comes down to personal interpretations of what constitutes idolatry.^[28]

See also

• Feast of the Black Nazarene
• Cristo Negro (Portobelo)
• Black Madonna
• Santo Niño de Cebú
• List of statues of Jesus

Notes

1. The Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ),a sect with Restorationist-like beliefs, explicitly forbid the use of any religious image, including the crucifix.^[14]
2. Ioannes Paulus Secundum, Papam. “Qui Loco Petri” (1987) Sigillium Vaticanus: Prænotanda Numerorum #209—291. Vatican Secret Archives.

References

1. Sison, Antonio D. (2015). "Afflictive Apparitions: The Folk Catholic Imaginary in Philippine Cinema". Material Religion. 11 (4). Routledge: 421–442. doi:10.1080/17432200.2015.1103474. S2CID 192961308.
2. John Lyden (2009). The Routledge Companion to Religion and Film. Routledge. p. 184. ISBN 978-1-135-22065-5.
3. J. Gordon Melton (2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. pp. 118–119. ISBN 978-1-59884-206-7.
4. John N. Schumacher (1968), The Depth of Christianization in Early Seventeenth-Century Philippines, Philippine Studies, Vol. 16, No. 3 (JULY 1968), pages 535-539
5. Sescon Jr, Rufino. "Jesus Nazareno: A Pastoral-Homiletic Primer" (PDF). Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
6. John Lyden (2009). The Routledge Companion to Religion and Film. Routledge. pp. 184–185. ISBN 978-1-135-22065-5.
7. Pinlac, Bea (December 31, 2024). "Thousands of devotees of Jesus Nazareno join 'Walk of Thanksgiving'". GMA News. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
8. Quirionez, Alfrein O. (March 4, 2023). "Nazareno 2023: The New Emerging Face of Celebration and Devotion Amidst the Pandemic". Quaipo Chuch. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
9. Godoy, Luke (December 2, 2024). "Philippines' Quiapo Church drops word 'black' in official parish name". Radio Veritas Asia. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
10. Sescon Jr, Rufino. "Jesus Nazareno: A Pastoral-Homiletic Primer" (PDF). Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
11. Almayo, Jose Emil (January 8, 2015). "Romanillos rebuts 'Myths and Miracles of the Nazareno de Quiapo'". Agustino Recoletos. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
12. De Guzman, Odi (January 8, 2015). "Black or white: The Nazarene and the Pinoy devotion". GMA News Online. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
13. de Guzman, Nicai (January 9, 2019). "Black Nazarene: The Tale of Traslación". Esquire. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
14. Harper, Anne C. (August 23, 2017). Understanding the Iglesia Ni Cristo: What They Really Believe and How They Can Be Reached. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-5326-3399-7.
15. Pineda, Patrick. "Pamimintuho bilang Pakikiisa: The Black Nazarene and Physical Practices of Devotion as Imitatio Christi". Academia. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
16. Chua, Xiao. "Totoo bang binaril ng miyembro ng INC ang Senyor noong 1980s". Facebook. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
17. Sescon Jr, Rufino. "Jesus Nazareno: A Pastoral-Homiletic Primer" (PDF). Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
18. Michael M. Ramos (2015), Popular Religiosity: A Filipino Experience of anInculturated Faith, Canadian International Journal of Social Science and Education, Volume 7, page 246; Quote: "This confraternity of the Nazarene was officially authorized by the bull of Pope Innocent X expedited in Rome on April 20, 1650, "By which the confraternity of N.P. Jesus Nazareno was erected and founded in the Church of the Agustinos Recoletos Descalzos in the city of Manila, and by virtue of which many graces and indulgences were granted to the members".
19. Leonardo Mercado (2002). Jesus Christ and the Gentile Mission. Gregorian Biblical BookShop. pp. 320–321. ISBN 978-88-7652-944-3.
20. Tony Twigg (2015), The Black Nazarene, A Philippine national Etho Archived December 22, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, TAASA Review, Volume 24, Number 2 (June 2015), pages 16-18
21. Paul-François Tremlett (2008). Religion and the Discourse on Modernity. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 1–5, 121–122. ISBN 978-0-8264-9823-6.
22. Joi Barrios (2015). Intermediate Tagalog. Singapore: Tuttle. pp. 182–184. ISBN 978-1-4629-1427-2.
23. Geoffrey Wainwright (2006). The Oxford History of Christian Worship. Oxford University Press. p. 674. ISBN 978-0-19-513886-3.
24. Jose Alain Austria (2012), Hijos de Enero 9: Quiapo's Black Nazarene Procession as a Male Rite of Passage, Manila Journal, Volume 8, Number 1, page 15; Quote: "This year [2011] approximately 6.5 million devotees flocked to Quiapo and the Luneta, joining the longest procession on record of sixteen hours. (...) What seems to be pure mayhem in the eyes of the on-looker, or pure faith on the part of the religious, is also a complex of herculean tasks that the young male devotee must perform not only to gain graces, but also to earn the approval of both his peers, the elder male devotees, and most importantly the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno.".
25. Jazmin Badong Llana (2014), Inaesthetics of Performance in the Black Nazarene Procession, De La Salle University, DLSU Research Congress 2014, page 3
26. Jaime C. Laya (2001). Letras Y Figuras. Manila: Anvil. pp. 89–90. ISBN 978-971-27-1143-5.
27. Elizabeth H. Pisares (1999). Daly City is My Nation: Race, Imperialism and the Claiming of Pinay / Pinoy Identities in Filipino American Culture. University of California Press. p. 58. OCLC 43832108.
28. Barbato, Mariano (2013). "Self: Pilgrim, Nomad, Homo Faber". Pilgrimage, Politics, and International Relations. pp. 55–82. doi:10.1057/9781137275813_3. ISBN 978-1-137-27581-3.

External links

• Quiapo Church Website Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene – Parish of Saint John the Baptist • Quiapo • Manila
• GMA NEWS.TV, Emergency: Pista ng Nazareno - 01/12/2008
• GMA NEWS.TV, Gma News Research, The Black Nazarene
• Pinoys celebrate 405th anniversary of the Black Nazarene 2012
• Inquirer News | Philippine Catholic pilgrims defy terror alert
• Manila Bulletin | Devotees defy threat

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