Jesus Nazareno Feast

Last January 09, 2012 is the Feast of the Black Nazarene (Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno) in Quiapo, Manila. It is a life-sized, wooden sculpture of our Lord Jesus Christ carrying his cross.

Jesus Nazarene at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene

 The feast includes the procession of the image commemorating the "Translación" or the transfer of the image to the present shrine, attended by millions of devotees throughout the country.

Millions of devotees attended the procession.

While catholics all over the Philippines were solemnly practicing their devotion to Jesus Nazarene, websites including facebook were flooded by attacks and insults from anti-catholics. They said that the Feast of the Black Nazarene is of pagan origin and a pagan practice, others said that the devotees are idolaters (worshipping idols).In this case, I wonder why some anti-catholics are angry about this practice, it seems that they are jealous of something. Maybe because the Catholic event was attended by thousands and millions of devotees all over the Philippines and it only means that the Catholic Church has many active members. But, let us go to the "biblical foundation" of the Feast.

 In the Gospel of St. Matthew in the New Testament, we will find this verse "and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a NAZARENE." -Matthew 2:23-(NIV) it is clear that this verse pertains to Jesus that will live in the town of Nazareth and will be called Nazarene.

Jesus of Nazareth

I was amazed by the faith of those Catholics who are devoted to Jesus our Lord and Savior, whenever I see them following the procession it reminds me of the woman in the Bible who touched Jesus cloak...

" ⁴³ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,^[a] but no one could heal her. ⁴⁴ She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped"
Luke 8:43-44

The woman who touched the cloak of Jesus Nazarene

The image of the Black Nazarene reminds us lots of things. It reminds us of being humble, like Jesus who became man and humbly submitted himself to die on the cross to save us. It also reminds us to follow him and carry our crosses in life. 

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."-Matthew 16:24

"and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."-Matthew 10:38

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."-1 Peter 2:21

That's why celebrating a feast for Jesus Nazarene or Jesus of Nazareth is not bad at all. It is a concrete way of following the footsteps of Christ, and it is a reminder for us that we must be humble, that we must persevere and that we must carry our cross.


Viva Nuestro Padre Hesus Nazareno!