12/01/2014
Black Nazarene procession ends earlier than expected
Despite the change in route, the Translacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene reached the historical Quiapo Church Friday at 2 a.m., 19 hours after it left Quirino Grandstand at around 7 a.m. Thursday.
Msgr. Clemente Ignacio, rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, said they expected that the procession will be longer by two to three hours after the changes in route.
Prior to the celebration, the organizers have decided to pass through the Jones Bridge to ensure the safety of millions of devotees after authorities discovered minor cracks in the Mac Arthur Bridge, the usual route of the devotees.
In 2012, the Translacion took 22 hours before it arrived at the Quiapo Church as one of the wheels of the carriage broke down.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila Development Authority collected 28 trucks or 336 tons of garbage after the said procession.
Tagle: Corruption shameful
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Thursday encouraged the devotees to be ashamed of the stealing and corruption in the government and not their faith with Christ.
In the homily before the procession of the Black Nazarene in Quirino Grandstand, Tagle urged the faithful to proudly profess their faith in Christ.
“Mga kapatid, huwag tayong mahihiya, ipahayag sa mundo. Mahal ako ni Hesus. Mahal ko si Hesus. Huwag kayong mahihiya. Nakakapagtaka nga eh, yung mga dapat ikahiya, hindi na ikinahihiya. Yung pagnanakaw hindi na nga ikinahihiya, dapat ‘yun ang ikahiya. Yung corruption, nakakahiya (Brothers and sisters, we should not be ashamed to tell the world that Jesus loves us and we love Him too. It is a wonder why those things that we should be ashamed of are no longer embarrassing like stealing and corruption.),” the Archbishop said.
The prelate also challenged the people to ponder among themselves whether they are following Christ’s teachings.
“Hindi pupwede na susunod ako kay Kristo, pero ang laging laman ng isip ko ay kwarta. Hindi pupwede na sasabihin ko, susunod ako kay Kristo pero kaya kong dayain at pagsamantalahan ang aking kapwa. Ang tunay na nag-iisip lagi kay Hesus, hindi gagawa ng mga bagay na taliwas kay Hesus. Ang pagdarasal, nagbubunga ng pagsunod kay Hesus (It cannot be that I want to follow Christ but what I only think is money. It cannot be that I say I want to be like Him but I can cheat and abuse my fellowmen. Those who truly want to be like Christ do not do things that are against His teachings. We can follow Him through prayer),” he said.
The Manila Archbishop asked devotees not to forget fellow countrymen who suffered from the war in Zamboanga, the earthquake in Bohol and the typhoon in Visayas just as Christ never forgot those who needed help. “Baka unti-unti na ring malimutan ang Bohol at hanggang kailan kaya maaala-ala ang mga kapatid na nasalanta ng Yolanda. Hindi nakakalimot sa Diyos, hindi makakalimot sa kapwa. Kasi ganoon ang Diyos sa atin eh, hindi tayo kinakalimutan. Kaya ang tugon natin sa kanya, kindi kita malilimot. At kapag laging tumatawag sa Diyos, lagi ring maaala-ala ang kapwa (There may come a time that those ravaged by calamities like the earthquake in Bohol and Typhoon Yolanda but we should always turn to God and remember our neighbors. God never forgets us so we should always remember Him).”
