Today, there are no classes and city government work in the City of Manila as it celebrates the Feast of the Black Nazarene, an event the Urban Roamer has written about in the past.
This year though has been an interesting one not much because of the event but due to the sidelights which have gotten a bit more attention.
Apart from a devotion to the Virgin Mary in all her various forms, (like the Our Lady of Guadalupe, Manaoag, Antipolo, the Rosary, etc.) Filipino Catholics are renowned for their devotion to the Infant Jesus AKA the Santo Niño or the Holy Child. And if the festivals and feasts held every 3rd Sunday of January … Read more
New Year’s celebrations aside, the first big feast/spectacle of the year this urban landscape looks forward to s the feast of the Black Nazarene held in the chaotic but colorful district of Quiapo right in the heart of the City of Manila. Without a doubt, it is Manila’s pride as far as festivities are concerned, in the same manner as Sinulog is to Cebu City and Kadayawan is to Davao City, to name a few.
What makes the feast of the Black Nazarene stand out from many other feasts in the country is that it is not the usual feast filled with dancers with colorful costumes and “Ati-Atihan” rip-offs. Rather, it proudly shows off a city’s “spiritual” side that’s unlike any other. While the “spirituality” of the feast itself is subject for debate, there’s no doubt that the devotion to the Black Nazarene is something that has already become embedded in the psyche and culture among many Filipinos, regardless of class and age.