More devotees expected to join Black Nazarene procession

MANILA, Philippines - Catholic bishops are expecting more devotees to flock to Quiapo district in Manila to join the traditional procession of the Black Nazarene on January 9.

 

Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr. said the number of devotees to the Black Nazarene balloons every year as people turn to God during trying times.

 

"Marami talagang tao ang hirap at naghahanap sila ng karamay sa kanilang kahirapan, at nakikita nila sa Hesus Nazareno na talagang Diyos na nagkatawang tao at naghirap na kasama nila," Bacani told Radyo Veritas in an interview.

 

Millions of people join the Black Nazarene feast every year to ask for divine help or intervention.

 

Bacani said that more people become devotees of the Black Nazare because majority of their wishes come true.

 

"Talagang natutugunan ang kahilingan ng marami. I think that's the reason kung bakit lalo dumadami ang bilang ng mga deboto ng Hesus Nazareno," he added.

 

Meanwhile,Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz called on the government not to be an alarmist, issuing statements regarding alleged bomb threats to disrupt the celebration on Jan. 9.

 

Cruz cited that the President himself announced a bomb threat during last year's Black Nazarene feast celebration.

 

"Noong nakaraang taon, ginulo yan ng Pangulo at sinabi na may bomb threat... At pagkatapos ay pinapatay lahat ng mga line ng cellphone...Noon pa tinatanong ko na, kung may bomb threat? Bakit di mo hanapin? At kung mayroon na armed terrorist na ganun bakit di mo hanapin? Bakit ilaladlad mo sa buong mundo? Precisely, you should keep that confidential so that you can trace it out," he said.