We were planning for this since last week, and because of some big changes of the location and procession of the Black Nazarene, a nd our church visit schedule was changed into morning and instead of the afternoon. My sister has work at 2pm, so we decided to go early in the morning to catch the morning mass and also to avoid the big crowd and the massive crowd of the procession of the Black Nazarene. I just remembered that we got in time last year for the procession and it was a great sight to see the Black Nazarene, although that it was only the replica, but its a great feeling to be few yards away from it.
We arrived at 6:30am and almost felt like a drunk guy, because I'm still very sleepy and tired. Didn't expected that the crowd are already big, and I thought that everyone will be in Luneta, because they relocated the statue there last night, and I like the idea to relocate it there to accomodate a large crowd, but many people are still going in Quiapo church, and for me the number of people grew double or maybe triple from what I observed last year. Or maybe because that they were there early for the 8:30am procession. hmm now it makes sense...
( read more below)
check out the video of the procession.
A banner of the feast from Chowking, and they post this every year. I hope they offer Chowking specials for the feast.
We finally reached Raon, and saw traffic scenes and a big sign that the big crowd already formed infront of the church. Buses, jeeps and cars are slightly stuck for some hours.
Fire vans and trucks are on stand by, there's no fire in the area, but they are rescuers on stand by, just in case if they needed help, it is better to be prepared always.
T-shirts and towels with designs and prints of Jesus Christ, this was sold almost everywhere around the church and sidewalks.
first view to see the crowd, and also the Red Cross volunteers strolling the area to see if there's anyone getting dizzy or fainted.
prayer candle vendors are near the church, they are everywhere and in big numbers, they go with the crowd, and to our location too. I think the candle fumes make me dizzy while we are listening to the mass outside the church, we are few feet away from the wall of the church. my body and head began to feel cold, and my head are starting to get numb, I'm starting to feel dizzy and almost puked. I think the candle fumes made me sick that day.
no way out...
Almost there...but we are stuck in here.
Red Cross volunteers created a human barricade to protect their station from the crowd. People who got fainted and dizzy are in this area, it is very hard to breathe in the middle of the crowd, and I can tell based on my dizziness experiences.
a Nazareno replica brought by devotees from Manila.
citizen journalist in action, I just don't know if these two guys are bloggers or just want to capture the action in their cellphones.
It's a very tiring hour, and after that me and my sis decided to eat our breakfast in Lola Ely's, I used to eat their during my college days, and it was great to see the eatery still open and kicking alive!
more photos in my album at Quaipo and Feast of the Black Nazarene 2009
that's my coverage for 2009, so see you on 2010 Feast.
- azrael coladilla
