Nazareno devotee from Cavite expresses faith through paintings

A devotee of Jesus Nazareno from General Trias, Cavite has found a personal way to express his faith: through painting scenes of the Traslacion.

In Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras,” Friday,  Nathaniel San Pedro said his devotion began when he was young.

“Bata pa lamang po ako ay dinadala na ako ng aking mga magulang sa Quiapo Church at doon po nasaksihan ko ‘yung taunang Traslacion. Habang lumalaki po ako at ngayon po ay isang ganap po akong santero o kamarero na nangangalaga ng mga poon, mas lalo pang napalapit ‘yung debosyon ko sa Poong Nazareno,” he said.

Instead of joining the procession, San Pedro channels his devotion into art.

“Naisipan ko pong ipinta ‘yung scene ng Traslacion panahon ng pandemic noong nakansela ‘yung taunang Traslacion. In my own little way, maraming natuwa at maraming nabuhayan ng loob na kahit man lang sa pintang larawan eh nakita nila ‘yung scene ng Traslacion,” Nathaniel said.

Last year, Nathaniel created a bigger piece, which he named “Agos ng Pananampalataya.”

“Kaya ko siya pinangalanang ‘Agos ng Pananampalataya’ dahil gusto kong ipakita ‘yung dagat ng tao at libu-libong, actually milyon-milyong taong dumaragsa tuwing Traslacion. Nakasuot po sila ng maroon at dilaw, sumisimbolo sa kulay ng Nazareno. Isang way po ito ng pagpapakita ko ng aking devotion then at the same time naniniwala ako na through time, ang art po ay laging po nating masasaksihan, so it will always remind us of the events na tulad ng ganito,” he said.

Catholic Media Network president Fr. Francis B. Lucas said that faith can be expressed through different media, including art.

“There is such thing as vibration. Hindi tayo puro material. Meron tayong vibration sa katawan na nakukuha mo ang communication mo lalo’t higit meron kang medium. May ibang dating eh, lalo kong ikaw ‘yung nananampalataya. Kaya ito, kung tatanungin natin ano bang simulain, pananampalataya. Pananampalataya at pagbibigay ng pag-asa sa lahat ng pagdurusa sa buhay. ‘Yan ang simulain niya. Hanggang sa ngayon, tutuloy,” he said.

Visit GMA News Online’s live updates on the Traslacion 2026 here.

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA Integrated News