Blessed be the Black Nazarene devotees

TODAY is the feast of Quiapo’s Black Nazarene, which the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy together with the millions of devotees formally call “Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno” (Our Father Jesus the Nazarene).

Tradition, romance, legend and folk Christianity cloak the devotion to the Black Nazarene. Some strictly doctrinal Catholics frown on the practice for they think the devotees are venerating only the image of Christ not Christ the Second Person of the Holy Trinity Himself. Perhaps scores of thousands—of the 10 or so million who go to the Luneta from dawn of January 8 and pray there to be with their beloved Black Nazarene image and join the procession on January 9 through Intramuros and Sta. Cruz districts before bringing back the blessed lifesize image to Quiapo Church—do worship the image like pagans and not the baptized Christians that they are.