Daven Tamayo

Prayer, healing, and thanksgiving: The heartbeat of Traslación

The annual Traslación of the Black Nazarene begins as the image of Jesus Nazareno is carried on the andas, departing from the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, with thousands of barefoot devotees joining the procession in prayer, thanksgiving, and fulfillment of religious vows. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Maria Tan

ABS-CBN News

<p>The Feast of Jesus Nazareno is a visceral display of the Filipino &quot;theology of touch&quot;—the belief that a single contact with the ebony Christ can mend the broken. </p><p>For devotees, that &quot;touch&quot; is mediated through their sacrifices. Every shove from the crowd and every hour under the tropical sun is an offering.</p><p>In the heart of Quiapo, the greatest miracle isn&#x27;t found in the wood of the statue, but in the iron-clad devotion of the likes of Archer, Drebel, Paula, and Rainier, who prove that even the heaviest cross is light when carried out of love.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>In the name of his father: A 27-year-old &#x27;Batang Quiapo&#x27; carries a sacred inheritance </strong></div><p>In the center of this crushing tide stands Archer Mercado, a man who carries not just the weight of the crowd, but the hopes of a father who can no longer walk the path of the faithful. For Archer, a &quot;Batang Quiapo,&quot; the Traslación is a 27-year-old inheritance of grit. </p><p>&quot;I took over for my father because he can no longer do it; he has become disabled,&quot; he explains, his face glistening with sweat. Draped in the traditional maroon and gold, he serves as the legs for a man bound by illness, turning his own physical exhaustion into a living prayer.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>A Prayer for Healing</strong></div><p>While the world sees a chaotic pilgrimage, Archer sees a lifeline. His plea to Jesus Nazareno is stripped of ego and focused entirely on the man who raised him. &quot;What I am asking from the Poong Nazareno is for my father to recover... I want to be with my father for the rest of my life.&quot;</p><p>The depth of this panata (sacred vow) reaches a startling intensity. For Archer, no price is too high for a miracle. &quot;Even if I am the one to die for Jesus Nazareno, I’ll accept it,&quot; he says with a conviction that silences the surrounding roar. &quot;As long as I can still be with my father.&quot;</p><p>As the andas (carriage) of the Poong Nazareno inches through the historic streets, Archer remains a fixed point of devotion in a sea of movement. He isn&#x27;t just a spectator; he is a participant in a centuries-old dialogue between suffering and the divine.</p><p>&quot;I will keep coming back. No matter what happens, I will return,&quot; Archer declares, his voice a mix of exhaustion and spiritual fire. &quot;Panata ay panata.&quot; <em>(A vow is a vow.)</em></p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4-dE_Lh2cKY?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/><strong>A 13-year-old devotee walks barefoot for family and community</strong></div><p>Thirteen-year-old Drebel Lusong is no stranger to the grueling physical demands of the Traslacion. While many his age might be preoccupied with school or play, Drebel has spent nearly a third of his life dedicated to a sacred vow (panata).</p><p>“Ako po si Drebel Lusong, 13 years old, and four years na po ako namamata kay Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno,” he shares.<em> (“I am Drebel Lusong, 13 years old, and I have been a devotee of Our Father Jesus Nazarene for four years now.”)</em></p><p>For Drebel, the devotion is not merely a tradition; it is a plea for protection. Living in an area prone to natural disasters, his primary motivation is the safety of those he loves. He carries the burden of his community’s struggle with frequent flooding to the feet of the Poong Nazareno.</p><p>The feast of the Jesus Nazareno is known for its intense environment: sweltering heat, massive crowds, and the practice of walking barefoot for kilometers.</p><p>Known for having devotees walk barefoot for kilometers as a form of penitence, Drebel’s answer was simple when asked what he is willing to endure to be part of the religious gathering: “Ano pa po ba? As in lahat: pagod, sakripisyo, magyayapak, kasi iyon na po talaga ‘yung panata natin at ‘yung tradisyon.” <em>(“What else? Everything: exhaustion, sacrifice, going barefoot, because that is truly our vow and the tradition.”)</em></p><p>Despite the physical exhaustion and the challenges his family faces at home, Drebel’s spirit remains unbroken. To him, the hardships of the procession and the difficulties of life are merely tests of his resolve. “Kasi alam ko po na pagsubok lang po ‘yan at naniniwala pa rin po ako sa Itim na Nazareno.” <em>(“Because I know that those are just trials, and I still believe in Jesus Nazareno.”)</em></p><p>As the procession continues, Drebel disappears back into the crowd—a small but steadfast reminder that in the heart of Manila, faith is often passed down through the youngest of hands.</p><div> </div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AqDdCl9-riQ?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p><strong>&quot;If the time is right, I the Lord will make it happen.&quot;</strong><br/>For six years, a couple from Mandaluyong has joined  millions of devotees to the heart of the capital for the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno. For Paula and Rainier, participating in the  Traslacion is not just a tradition but a lifelong commitment to express gratitude.</p><p>&quot;Wala naman po yan kung maibigay man yung dinarasal natin o hindi. Magtiwala ka lang nang magtiwala,&quot; Paula says, her voice steady despite the surrounding chaos. <em>(It&#x27;s not about whether our prayers are answered or not. Just keep trusting.)</em></p><p>In a world where many turn to prayer only in times of desperation, Paula’s perspective is refreshing. She finds strength in the patience of her faith, often reciting her favorite scripture: &quot;If the time is right, I the Lord will make it happen.&quot;</p><div> </div><div><strong>A Heart of Thanksgiving</strong></div><p>While many approach the Poong Nazareno with a list of petitions, Paula is focused solely to say  &quot;Salamat&quot; (Thank you). &quot;Ngayong taon, wala naman akong ibang hiling, gusto ko lang magpasalamat at humingi ng tawad sa buong nagdaang taon. Puro pasasalamat lang po,&quot; she shares.<em> (This year, I don&#x27;t have any other requests; I just want to give thanks and ask for forgiveness for the entire past year. It&#x27;s all about gratitude.)</em></p><p>Her only plea to the heavens is the collective safety and survival for the community. She prays for her family, her loved ones, and for every Filipino struggling to navigate the hardships of life.</p><div> </div><div><strong>On the Essence of Faith</strong></div><p>&quot;Wala naman po yan kung maibigay man yung dinarasal natin o hindi. Magtiwala ka lang nang magtiwala. Sabi nga po sa Bible verse, &#x27;If the time is right, I the Lord will make it happen.&#x27; Favorite ko yang Bible verse na yan. Dasal lang nang dasal. Sabi nga, &#x27;Nasa tao ang gawa, nasa Diyos ang awa.&#x27; Ibibigay niya rin yan.&quot;</p><div><em>(It&#x27;s not about whether our prayers are granted or not. Just keep trusting and trusting. As the Bible verse says, &#x27;If the time is right, I the Lord will make it happen.&#x27; That is my favorite verse. Just keep praying. As the saying goes, &#x27;Man proposes, God disposes [God provides the mercy].&#x27; He will give it in God’s perfect time.)</em></div><p>As the carriage of the Jesus Nzareno makes its slow, arduous journey through the streets of Quiapo, Paula’s message serves as a reminder to the millions watching that &quot;Awa&quot; (mercy) of the Nazarene is always present, provided one has the heart to trust.</p><div> </div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2Mkh7Ua9nsE?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>In the heart of Quiapo, the greatest miracle isn't found in the wood of the statue, but in the iron-clad devotion of the likes of Archer, Drebel, Paula, and Rainier, who prove that even the heaviest cross is light when carried out of love.</p>

In the heart of Quiapo, the greatest miracle isn't found in the wood of the statue, but in the iron-clad devotion of the likes of Archer, Drebel, Paula, and Rainier, who prove that even the heaviest cross is light when carried out of love.