Millions of devotees defy threat, pay homage to Black Nazarene

MANILA – Despite warnings of possible terror attacks, millions of barefooted devotees filled on January 9 the streets of Manila and paid homage to the miraculous Black Nazarene of the Minor Basilica of Quiapo.
No less than President  Aquino issued the warning of a possible attack to be launched by terror group to mar the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene. 

The 405th celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene started with a procession from Quirino Grandstand to the Minor Basilica of Quiapo at about 8 a.m. on Monday and ended with the image brought home to the basilica at about 6 a.m. the following day or 22 hours later, making it the longest procession in history.
The procession moved at snail’s pace because of the huge number of people trying to touch the Black Nazarene image said to have miraculous healing power. Those who cannot reach threw their handkerchiefs or towels to marshals on board the carriage where the Black Nazarene image was transported – wiped them on the image and threw them back to the devotees.
It was the first time in 405 years that the annual Black Nazarene procession lasted nearly the entire day that could land it in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest religious procession in the history of mankind.Even Msgr. Glenn Ignacio, the bishop of Quiapo Minor Basilica, was amazed over the faith and endurance of those who participated in the procession and the multitude of people lining along the route of the procession as well as those who stayed in the church until the procession ended. It was a massive outpouring of faith in God, Church officials said. 
Msgr. Ignacio said the faithful, who preserved the long procession, were expressing their thank to God for the many favors He has given them all these years. 
He said that the basilica had received numerous text messages about terror plot and even naming the alleged bombers but the faithful ignored these all. 
The basilica had coordinated with the Manila Police Department (MPD) about these supposed terrorist threats. There were names mentioned of the alleged bombers but the faithful ignored all these. 
He said the police raided the Baseco compound in Manila where the terrorists were said to be hiding but no one was arrested.
 Msgr. Ignacio said there was this “aura in the stage,” referring to the carriage where the Black Nazarene was carried, that in spite of the huge crowd — with everyone pushing and shoving each other trying just to touch the life-sized wooden statue — there was no chaos and they would not stop even when there was a looming danger to their safety.Due to fatigue and exhaustion during the 22-hour procession, many collapsed along the way and some were injured slightly but no death was reported.The Red Cross reported treating more than 300 devotees.
Many of the penitents cried with joy when they were able to touch any part of the Black Nazarene’s image or the long rope connected to the carriage. 
For them, it was more than enough to fulfill their annual pilgrimage to the holy image brought by the Spaniards from Mexico in 1607 and withstood unscathed the disasters in the 1791 and 1929 conflagrations, and the destructive earthquakes of 1645 and 1863. 
During the 1945 liberation of Manila in World War II, when the whole city was practically devastated, the Black Nazarene image was virtually unscathed, prompting the Catholic Church and the Filipino faithful to believe its miraculous power.