A Feast Like No Other

Black Nazarene Feast - A Feast Like No Other

Every 9th of January, its celebrated the feast of the Black Nazarene. A life-sized, dark-colored, wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ held to be miraculous by many people, especially its Filipino devotees.

Image courtesy of biagkensiak.wordpress.com.

The Black Nazarene is carried into the streets for procession in a "Caroza" or carriage. This year the route of the procession was changed according to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. Instead of beginning the procession at 3pm. from the Quiapo Church, the procession will begin from Jose Rizal's Park in Luneta at 8:30am, going through wider streets towards the Quiapo Church. The Quiapo Church Rectory has decided to change routes to prevent injuries and deaths that has happened in the previous years due to the large crowds and stampede of the procession.


More than 80,000 people celebrated today the Black Nazarene with an overnight prayer vigil. This feast is one manifestation of popular devotion in the Philippines that has lasted for more than four centuries.

The ritual aims to recreate the arrival of the statue in the country. It was brought here on 31 th of May 1606 by Augustinian missionaries from Mexico.