Black Nazarene statue taken to Luneta

The Black Nazarene statue was taken on Monday to the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park, Manila where it would be displayed overnight before it is returned to the Quiapo Church along Quezon Boulevard in Manila on Tuesday, when hundreds of thousands of devotees are expected to take part in the annual procession. The statue, a blackened Jesus Christ bearing a cross, was taken out of the Quiapo Church at about 5 p.m. and arrived at the grandstand at 6:15 p.m. The motorcade, which passed through Lawton and P. Burgos streets, took an hour before it finally reached the Luneta Park because thousands of devotees who escorted the image as it was paraded around Manila. DzBB radio reported church and local organizers had a hard time bringing down the image of the Black Nazarene from its carriage because devotees crowded the area where the coach stopped. White handkerchiefs and lit candles held by thousands of devotees spruced up the Luneta grandstand. A fireworks display greeted the arrival of the statue, followed by a concert staged by religious groups. A mass would be celebrated at the grandstand Tuesday morning before the image is brought back to the Quiapo Church. Hundreds of thousands of devotees are expected to flock to Quiapo Tuesday for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Black Nazarene image's transfer from Intramuros to Quiapo. The current life-sized statue of the Black Nazarene is a replica of the original artwork brought to Manila from Mexico in 1606. Church officials introduced the procession replica in 1998. The original statue had been battered from wear and tear, as devotees scramble to touch the Black Nazarene because of its supposed healing powers. It remains inside the Quiapo Church. Devotees unable to approach neither the carriage nor the rope during the procession toss their white towels to the guardians of the Nazarene. The guardians in turn rub the towel on the statue to gain blessings then throw it back to the crowd. Touching the Nazarene, or even coming into contact with a cloth rubbed on the statue, is believed to bestow healing upon those of strong faith. The statue is taken on a procession each year on January 9 along the streets near Quiapo Church for the devotees to see but this year, this was brought out and brought to the grandstand to prevent a repeat of last year’s celebration, when at least one devotee was killed and several injured in the crush of devotees looking to touch the image. -GMANews.TV