Year after year, devotees flock to the streets of Manila to greet the Nazareno.
For the faithful, it’s their devotion that gives them comfort amid the hardships of life.
In an interview with GMA News Online during the Traslacion of Jesus Nazareno on January 9, 63-year-old Lolita Natividad shared that she didn’t grew up faithful and religious but one event in her life changed her faith.
“Noong buntis ako sa panganay ko, sinabi sa akin ng doktor na mahina ang kapit niya. Siyempre ina ka, ipaglalaban mo ang anak mo diba? Doon ako nagsimula pumunta sa Quiapo para magsimba at manalangin. Ayon pinanganak ko siyang malusog. Kaya simula noon, palagi na ako nagdadasal sa Kaniya at eventually sumama sa Traslacion,” she said.
Since then, she’s been unflagging in her faith, and said it helps her through the problems of life.
“Ano mang hirap ng buhay, nakakaya ko, kasi andiyan Siya. Tuwing pinagdadasal ko ang problema ko sa Kaniya, pakiramdam ko nabubunutan ako ng tinik,” Lolita said.
Like Lolita, Kuya Richard used to be a non-believer too, but when his wife got diagnosed with a cancer, he started to devote everything to Jesus.
“Three years na ako namamanata due to nagkakanser si misis, and noong na-operahan siya, hindi namin in-expect na positive sa cancer ‘yung goiter niya. Paglabas ng biopsy niya, ayun positive, so nagradio therapy siya,” Richard said.
“Tapos, exactly, January 9 last year, dineclare ang wife ko na cancer free,” he added.
In his three years of being a Jesus Nazareno devotee, Richard said he would pray whenever he would try new ventures.
“So, lagi ako nanghihingi ng sign sa kaniya na kung talagang doon ako papunta, ibigay nyo siya akin ng buong puso,” he said.
Despite the hardship of joining the Traslacion, Richard said it felt good being among those two million strong devotees who braved the journey,
“Not only the sacrifices eh. Yung, basta yung makikita ko siya, masaya na ako,” the 50-year-old said.
Meanwhile, the family of Norma Aradanas from Novaliches, Quezon City has been a long-time devotee of the Jesus Nazareno.
Norma shared to GMA News Online that their family’s devotion to the Jesus Nazareno started with their family patriarch Honrado when his mother got sick.
“Nagsimula siyang manampalaya para mabigyan ng konting lakas pa ‘yung nanay niya,” she shared.
When they got married, it became a tradition to their family to attend the Feast of Jesus Nazareno every January 9, even after her mother-in-law passed away.
Despite having separate lives with their kids now, Norma said their faith with Jesus Nazareno is still with them.
“Lahat ng bagay nagagawa ko, mahirap man o madali, nagagawa ko kasi kasama ko siya. Dahil lagi nga siya nasa tabi namin, nag-iba ‘yung takbo ng pamumuhay namin. Naging masaya, at mas maraming blessing talaga na dumarating din sa amin,” she said.
Despite facing many trials in their life, she was confident that her family will make it through because of Jesus.
“Dahil kahit sino, maraming pagsubok o challenge na dumarating sa buhay, pero nakakapit ka lang sa kaniya, lahat magagawa o malulutas,” Norma added. “Kahit na anong pagkakamali mo, o bagay na mayroon sa buhay ninyo, basta andyan siya, hindi ka niya bababayaan. Kakayanin mo yan, dahil andyan siya.”
The procession for the Feast of Jesus Nazareno lasted for more than 20 hours. The sacred image left Quirino Grandstand at 4:41 a.m. and returned to His home the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno or Quiapo Church at 1:26 a.m.
The traditional Dungaw where Jesus Nazareno meets the image if Our Lady Del Carmen De San Sebastian at the San Sebastian Church commenced at 5:57 p.m and lasted for about 15 minutes.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), an estimate of 8,093,850 people attended the Traslacion. —JCB, GMA Integrated News
