Viva! Viva! Viva! Viva!!! Indayo!!! Indayo!!! Indayo!!! It was the battle cry of the devotees in the Traslacion.

As the Black Nazarene inches towards the front of National Museum, you can feel the aura of people pouring their efforts towards the small carriage carrying the image. In the sea of humanity, the Andas (the Black Nazarene’s carriage) look like a boat trying to make it through on a muddy river.

Barefooted men, clad in maroon and yellow shirts dominate the procession. They have intent to do namámasán or pulling the rope of the carriage in their right shoulders, as it resembles Christ carrying the cross towards Calvary. The faithful believes it has healing or miraculous powers, for as long as they do their panata or vow.

Some “traditions” in pulling the rope:

• The only way to have your chance to pull the rope is to pass through the chaotic crowd.
• The best time to have pamamasan is when the rope is raised up. You can ask permission to those already holding the rope, or grab the chance. The good news is, even though if it looks rowdy, the devotees give way to others.
• If the rope is on the waist-level, that means it is “fixing” or “untying a knot” in the rope. At this point, it is best not to grab the rope yet.
• Place the rope on your right shoulder while pulling the Andas. Amid the frenzy, say a prayer.
• By the time you need to get out, better raise your hand and say “Kapatid, ako’y lalabas na.” (Brother, I’m getting out.) This gives chance for the others to pull the rope of the carriage.

 

People shout Viva! as the Black Nazarene paases by. The devotees wave their white towels. #Nazareno2015 #heritagePH #Philippines #Manila #travel #festivals #Asia

A video posted by Berniemack Arellano (@habagatcentral) on Jan 9, 2015 at 8:02am PST

 

Thousands wave their white towels and throw them to the Andas, where the Hijos de Nazareno¸ or the guardians of the Nazareno image, grab it, dab it to the image, and throws it back to the crowd.

As the Andas approached us, the surge of energy, human heat, noise, and even bugs came out of nowhere. The fence of the Museum at the street was overrun by devotees, trying to make their way near the image. Some men and women would even dare go up to the carriage and touch the Poon—the ultimate goal for the devotees.

For some who are not used to this, they may think it is some scene from a zombie apocalypse. They said that men in there are driven by instinct to survive and to reach the goal of getting near the Poon, no matter what. They were acting as if they are in trance.

Words and even text couldn’t describe how these people would do everything just to get near it with such energy, aggressiveness, and chaos. We are left to ask on where they get their energy for their devotion despite suffering the mad crowd of the procession.

A friend of mine, a devotee of the Nazareno, said this:

“Yung naglalakad ka ng nakayapak at kailangang mag-risk para sa aming panata ay para maalala namin kung ano ang pinagdaanan ni Kristo para mailigtas tayo,” (We walk barefooted and the need to risk our lives just for our vow is to remind us of how Christ suffered so that we can be saved from damnation) he said.

For them, being injured or even die during this yearly feast is a fulfilment of their vow to God.

To us, we were stunned at the sight. We’ve been through a lot of religious processions, but what makes the Nazareno so unique is its chaos and show of devotion (or to some as fanaticism).

(to be continued…)