Black Nazarene: The Visit

The Black Nazarene also known as Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno and also known as Poóng Itím na Nazareno is a holy life-sized iconic statue of Jesus Christ carrying the cross to Calvary Hill in the Philippines. It displays one of the stations of the cross during the journey of His crucifixion. The image is one of two statues sculpted from pure ivory and were burnt aboard a ship during the Manila Galleon Expedition from Mexico leaving the other destroyed. The descriptive name of the sculpture is then taken it being "Black" resulting from the incident that happened. The older and more popular copy belonging to the Recollects was destroyed in Second World War during the Liberation of Manila in 1945. Originally both of fair complexion referring to the natural skin tone of Jesus Christ as an impression of the artist. The statue is well-renowned in the Philippines and is believed to be miraculous and a religious pilgrimage to many Filipino Catholics.

The Black Nazarene is constructed from ivory kneeling with the height of 5'5 along with the halo and the cross of 6'0. The image is built during the early 1600's transporting from Mexico by the Manila Galleon route founded by Andres de Urdaneta fouded in 1565.

The image is dressed in a heavy velvet maroon tunic, embroidered with floral or plant emblems in gold thread, and with lace trimmings on the collar and cuffs. Around its waist, a gold-plated metal belt embossed with the word "Nazareno" while a golden chain and ball loops around the neck and is held in its left hand, representing the Flagellation. The barefooted statue is in a genuflecting posture, symbolizing the agony and the weight of the cross with the pain Jesus Christ went through during His crucifixion.

The statue's original body has lost several fingers over the years, and the original head has since been transferred several times onto a full-scale replica body by renowned Filipino sculptor Gener Manlaqui as commissioned by the Archdiocese of Manila. The statue also bears a large wooden cross with gilded brass caps on its ends while the head wears a braided wig made of dyed abaca, along with a golden crown of thorns. (source: Wikipedia)

On January 2014, people were fortunate to have been visited by the Black Nazarene.  It was displayed in various churches in Marikina.  On January 26th 2014, thousands of Catholic devotees joined and marched during the Black Nazarene procession which started at the Our Lady of the Abandoned Church in San Roque. Many believed to have been miraculously healed simply by touching the image.  The Black Nazarene is currently in its resting place at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, colloquially known as the Quiapo Church in Manila.