MANILA – Clutching a tiny figure of the Black Nazarene close to his chest, 11-year-old Prince Joshua Reyes walked calmly along the streets of Quiapo in Manila.

Hundreds of barefoot devotees and enormous carriages of life-sized images of cross-bearing Christ dwarfed the young devotee.

Amid the thunderous beating of drums and screams of glee, Prince Joshua quietly performed a devotion he believed was key to a life-saving miracle.

“’Yung sakit ko po dati kaya po ako naging deboto,” the young boy said while walking along with his parents during the blessing of the replica images of the Black Nazarene, four days ahead of the January 9 Traslacion.

(I used to be sick, that is why I became a devotee.)

His father explained that Prince Joshua was born with weak lungs. In a bid to plead for his son's healing, he offered him to the Black Nazarene.

“Inalay ko siya sa Nazareno kasi mahina ‘yung baga niya nung ipinanganak siya,” his father said.

(I offered him to the Black Nazarene because he was born with weak lungs.)

Tales of miracles like this abound in a centuries-old tradition that began with the arrival of the Black Nazarene image on the Philippine shore.

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Believed to have been brought by Augustinian Recollects from Mexico during the Galleon trade in the early 17th century, the Black Nazarene — known to Filipinos as “Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno” or “Senor” — was first housed in the Recollect church in Bagumbayan.

The image shows a suffering dark-skinned Christ kneeling on one knee yet upright, as if on his way to getting back up while carrying a large wooden cross.

The image was eventually moved to its present home in Quiapo. This “traslacion,” meaning “transfer” in Spanish, commemorated every January 9, became the massive religious spectacle that has since attracted millions of believers.

Despite a three-year suspension of the procession due to the pandemic, the devotion endured and continued to attract believers.

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As heir to this enduring faith, Prince Joshua is determined to live up to the miracle that he believes gave him his life. Guided by his parents in fulfilling his Nazarene devotion, he also serves as an altar server in their local church.

“Pagpapatuloy ko po rin po ‘yung pamamanata sa Kanya,” he said. “’Yung gusto ninyo pong ipagdasal sa Kanya, ipagdasal ninyo lang kasi malay ninyo po kung pinagdadasal ninyo ‘yun magkaro’n ng himala. Pwedeng ‘yung pinagdadasal ninyo mangyari sa inyo.”

(I will continue my devotion to Him. Just continue praying because you might receive a miracle. The thing you’ve been praying for, it might be given to you.)

PASSING DOWN THE FAITH 

Edrina Arguelles, 54, inherited her devotion to the Black Nazarene from her father, who was a “mamamasan” — a member of a group of men who pull the large ropes of the image’s carriage as it makes its way around the streets of Manila.

“Ako ay produkto ng [debosyon sa] Nazareno,” she said. “Four years nang kasal ang father ko at mother ko hindi po sila binigyan ng baby. Kaya 'yung father ko namanata, may nagsabi sa kanilang manggagamot mamanata ka sa Nazareno, bibigyan ka ng anak.”

(I am a product of the Nazarene devotion. My parents were already married for four years, but they still could not get pregnant. Someone advised my father to devote himself to the Nazarene and that he would be given a child.)

When Arguelles became a grandmother, it was her turn to plead for a miracle.

In 2018, her then one-year-old granddaughter accidentally fell from her bed and had to undergo a delicate operation on her head.

“Sabi ko, ‘Panginoon nagsisilbi ako sa iyo, isa lang ang hihingin ko, ‘yung operasyon ng apo ko. Ibigay mo na sa kin, bigyan mo ‘kong one chance, maglilingkod ako for the rest... Hanggang kaya ko maglilingkod ako para sa 'yo,’” she said.

“Binigay niya po. Anim na taon na po ‘yung apo ko ngayon.”

(I said, ‘Lord as I strive to serve you, I plead that you help my granddaughter in her operation. Answer my prayer and I will serve you for the rest... For as long as I can, I will serve you.)

Her family joined thousands of other devotees who camped out in Luneta Park from the eve of the Traslacion to once again accompany the return of the revered image to its house in Quiapo Church.

Arguelles hopes to pass down to her grandchildren the same faith she inherited from her father.

“Hanggang kaya ko ipamamana ko ‘to sa mga anak at apo ko kasi kailangan may sumunod sa yapak ko,” she said.

“Kasi kung wala siya, wala ang Itim na Nazareno, wala po ako.”

(I will make sure to pass down this devotion to my children and grandchildren because they need to follow in my footsteps. Because if not for the Black Nazarene, I am nothing.)

Unlike Arguelles, 30-year-old tattoo artist and barangay councilor Arjay Dig did not inherit the devotion from his parents. Nonetheless, he hopes his two children will continue his practice of faith and become full-fledged devotees like him.

“Lahat ng dinasal natin tinupad,” he said. “Ipamamana ko sa kanila ‘yan.”

(Everything I prayed for was given to me. I will make sure to pass down this devotion to my children.)

Although a believer of miracles of the Black Nazarene, Dig is convinced that prayer and devotion must be coupled with hard work and resolve.

“Pinaghihirapan ‘yun,” he said. “’Yung dasal natin sasamahan mo ng trabaho at sipag.”

(It was also a product of hard work. Prayer should be accompanied by hard work and diligence.)

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