Himantayon nga Kagay-anon

Early morning today at 6AM, I woke up to go to St. Augustine Cathedral Church to attend the reception of the Replica of the Jesus Black Nazarene of Quiapo, Metro Manila to the Jesus Nazareno Parish here in Cagayan de Oro City. This is the first in Mindanao to have the said event and the replica of the statue in the land.

When I arrived at the Cathedral Church around 7 o’clock where the Black Nazarene temporarily settled for a few days, thousands of people already gathered to attend the mass which was simultaneously heard together in Manila but many just heard the mass outside because it was overly crowded inside the church. Then pass 9 O’clock in the morning the Black Nazarene statue was brought outside to start the procession which routed from the St. Augustine Cathedral Church to the Fernandez Street, then left turn to the Apolinario Velez Street all the way to the National Highway then right turn passing the Gaisano City Mall then to the Jesus Nazareno Parish where the statue of the Black Nazarene will stay.

Along the procession, it was witnessed by Cagay-anons, some people from their offices and working places went outside and stopped doing their works for a moment just to see the Black Nazarene and wave their handkerchiefs to the statue. Thousands of devotees were also eager to get close to the Black Nazarene but wasn’t able to touch because it was well guarded, but all were given the chance to touch the Nazarene after it was settled in the Jesus Nazareno Parish around 12 noon but they need to fall in line to avoid injuries cause of pushing each others just to get near to the statue. They said that when you wipe or rub your handkerchief to the statue, it will heal all kinds of sickness. That is why devotees will try harder even if they get hurt just to rub or wipe their handkerchiefs to the statue.

The event was well supported by the Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Constantino “Tennex” Jaraula and Cagayan de Oro’s 2nd District representative to the Congress, Congressman Rufus Rodriguez. The two city officials even tried to carry the Black Nazarene for just few meters. Police and Army personnel were also there to see to it that the event will run peacefully smooth.

The event was successful and no one was badly hurt. The statue will remain at the Jesus Nazareno Parish permanently and anyone can visit at the parish church to pray and take a look at the statue of the Replica of the Jesus Black Nazarene or even touch, because the Parish Priest of the said church promised that they will not hide the Black Nazarene to the public.

Next procession of the Black Nazarene here in Cagayan de Oro City will be on Good Friday.