Si Maria at ang Nazareno - The Marian Meeting Rites of the Black Nazarene's Traslacion

The Patrons of Quiapo: Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian

Whenever the New Year starts, aside from the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God every January 1st, the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord and the national festivities dedicated to the Santo Niño, the Traslacion fiesta of the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo, Manila is one of the most anticipated festivals every January. Although sometimes it met resistance from some bishops, priests, lay people and heavy criticism from other "Christian sects", due to it's rowdy nature, the devotion to the dark skinned image of Our Lord carrying the Cross became one of the most distinct and enduring Filipino devotion that transcended all social classes, minted though time and made a stamp to the consciousness of the Filipino nation. 

In the recent years, we have seen a gradual rise of incorporation of Marian elements of the Traslacion. Keeping in mind that the Philippines is widely recognized as the "Pueblo Amante de Maria" (The People in love with Mary) for centuries, it is not a surprise that the Marian incorporation to the famed Traslación rites would happen and it did gave a the so-called rowdy procession a "Motherly touch" given that the Filipino culture is known to be matriarchal one.

Before we delved to this study of the rise of three distinct Marian meeting rites that were incorporated to the Traslacion, let us have quick glimpse of the beginnings of the Black Nazarene and it's famed Traslación.

Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno
of Quiapo, Manila

The Nazareno and his Traslacion

The image of Black Nazarene became a focal point of devotion in Quiapo, Manila for centuries. The origins of the image is still unknown due to scant records available to pinpoint it's exact date of the image's arrival. It is said that the image of the Señor of Quiapo was a replica, made from Mexico carved from dark wood, of an earlier image of the Nazareno enshrined in the Old San Nicolas de Tolentino Church of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects in Intramuros, Manila.

The "other Nazareno" image in Intramuros is said to be the "Nazareno of the Elites" (this image was later destroyed during the Second World War) while the the Nazareno of Quiapo is known as the "Nazareno of the Masses". The Quiapo image was said to be enshrined in San Nicolas of Intramuros for years, and also gained fame and a reputation to be miraculous. Due to security issues of the Walled City, Manila Archbishop Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa y Rufina mandated the transfer of the image from Intramuros to the Parish of St. John the Baptist in Quiapo, Manila in the late 1787 where it has rested on its altar ever since.

Every January 9, the famed Traslación of the Black Nazarene makes its way along the streets of the Quiapo district, with attendees reaching up to 12 million. In recent years, the processional route was altered due to a rise in vehicular accidents, the structural conditions of bridges along the route and other mishaps. In 2014, Former President turned Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada declared the fiesta as a special non-working holiday in the City of Manila due to the impassibility of some thoroughfares and projected congestion in others.

As per custom, the statue of the Nazarene leaves the Minor Basilica a day or two prior to the Traslacion. Since 2016, the procession begins early in the morning after a Solemn Midnight Mass at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, near where the image was supposeldy first enshrined, and ends in Quiapo early the following morning or at late night the same day, depending on how long the image is traveling. Some participants choose to wait for the image inside the Minor Basilica to greet it, while most devotees walk throughout the whole processional route.

The Mater Dolorosa of Susing Reyes family ioining the Traslacion

Mary and the Nazarene

In the traditional Via Crucis (The Way of the Cross), the fourth station and the fourth sorrow of the Blessed Virgin recounts the painful meeting of Jesus Christ and his afflicted Mother, Mary while he was trudging his way to Mount Calvary for his Crucifixion and death. This particular scene in the lives of Jesus and Mary sets the mood of the Marian rites that were incorporated in the Traslacion. It can be noted for some years, there was an image of the Mater Dolorosa of the Susing Reyes family that was imported from Spain that once accompanied the Black Nazarene during its so-called rowdy procession.

Although the Dolorosa no longer join the Traslacion, in the recent years, three different meeting rites emerged during the 2010's that somehow continued the Marian element of the Traslacion: the Sungaw of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Manila, the Pagtatagpo of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila and the historic Dungaw of Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian. The emergence of these meeting rites led to the formation of prayer stations where the Nazareno would stop in a certain location to meet the three reknown images of the Blessed Mother in the district of Camba, Santa Cruz and Quiapo. In 2020, with the recent renovation of Jones Bridge which alters once the procession route, a new rite will be introduced called "Visita" where the image of Nuestra Señora de la Medalla Milgrosa of San Marcelino will take place and replacing the "Pagtatagpo" rite of Santa Cruz.

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Manila
during Sungaw

The "Sungaw" of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Manila

The image of the mourning icon of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Manila is the center of devotion to the people of Camba, located between Tondo and Binondo, Manila. Though not much is known of the image due to the scant records of her origin, it is said to have been honored since 1884. Yet is believed that the image already existed even before 1884 and it is also believed that it was brought by the navigators from Manila - Acapulco Galleon Trade since the chapel was built near the port area of Pasig River and a spot near its banks, called "Postigo de Nuestra Señora de Soledad".

The Feast of the Virgin is celebrated every January 1 and the Manto Festival is held on the eve of the Feast. The image received Episcopal Coronation on July 8, 2017 officiated by the Archbishop of Manila, Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

Aerial view of the Sungaw rites at Jones Bridge

In the recent years, the devotees of the Virgin began to put out one of the replicas of the Virgin that will emerge from the crowds to meet the Senor Nazareno of Quiapo and this rite was known as "Sungaw", a combination of two Filipino words "Sulyap" and "Dungaw", a clear reference to the meeting of the Mother and Son on the Way of the Cross. The Sungaw rites became officially part of the Traslacion in the later part of 2018.

The Sungaw sets the tone of setting the Marian elements of the Traslacion where this clearly showed a mother's grief seeing her Son suffering and also a painful collaboration to save the world from sin.

Nuestra Señora del Pilar de
Manila during Pagtatagpo

The "Pagtatagpo" of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila

The resplendent image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar of Santa Cruz, Manila is one of the most revered Marian images of Old Manila. The image of La Pilarica de Manila was brought to the Philippines by the Jesuits sometime before 1743. During that time, a confraternity dedicated to the Virgin of the Pillar already existed in the district, thus the arrival of image made the devotion official. As a patroness of the Sta. Cruz district, she was the object of prayers, mid-day Saturday Masses, Rosary prayers and novenas and many miracles were reported through her intercession for centuries.

The opulence of the people of then one of the most aristocratic arrabal of Manila is strongly evident on the appearance of the Virgin. The devotees lavished the Virgin with such gifts as an act of thanksgiving to all the miracles that she wrought to the people and for the thriving of trade and commerce of that district that was once called "The Cradle of Tagalog Aristocracy". The Virgen del Pilar celebrates two Feast days, the Liturgical Feast of October 12 and the Traditional Patronal Feast that is celebrated every Third Sunday of October. The image of La Pilarica of Manila was Canonically Crowned on December 7, 2017.

The Pagtatagpo Meeting Rites in front of
Sta. Cruz 

The "Pagtatagpo" rites began in 2016 where the image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Manila is placed on special platform where the Virgin and her devotees would wait until the procession stops over the facade of Santa Cruz Church and it's bells will toll at the same time. The Pagtatagpo rites became official part of the Traslacion in 2019. The meeting of the La Pilarica and the Nazareno cements the permanent link between two historical districts that were once known as two of the most opulent and busy districts of Manila together with Binondo and Intramuros.

The processional image of Nuestra Señora
de la Medalla Milagrosa de Manila

The "Visita" of Nuestra Señora de la Medalla Milagrosa de Manila

With the recent beautification of Jones Bridge in 2019, it meant that a change of route of the Traslacion is in order. One of the routes of the Traslacion will be Ayala Boulevard and it is here that a new Marian prayer station will be introduced - the "Visita" of Nuestra Señora de la Medalla Milagrosa of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in San Marcelino, Manila on January 9, 2020.

The devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal was introduced in 1860 with the arrival of the Vincentian Fathers and the Daughters of The Vincentians fathers erected first a chapel in Ermita in 1883 in which the original image of Nuestra Señora de la Medalla Milagrosa, which was brought from France, was enshrined. Almost 30 years later, in 1912, a concrete church was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Vincentians and the Sisters of Charity in the Philippines.

Unfortunately, the church was burned down during the Second World War, along with the image. A new image was commissioned by the religious order from  Maximo Vicente that can be seen and venerated today at the church's main altar.

The "Visita" of Nuestra Señora de la Medalla Milagrosa de Manila is said to take over the "Pagtatagpo" tradition of Sta. Cruz due to the change of route. According to Rev. Fr. Choy Limjoco, CM of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, the term "Visita" is taken from the term "Visita Domiciliaria ng Medalla Milagrosa" (Domiciliary Visit of the Miraculous Medal) were in this particular tradition of the parish, an image of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal visits different households of the parish's jursidiciton to spread the devotion to Our Lady and her Miraculous Medal she herself designed.

Nuestra Señora del Carmen de
San Sebastian during Dungaw

The "Dungaw" of Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian

The "Dungaw" rites is probably the main highlight of the three Marian rites of the Traslacion. The Image of Nuestra Senora del Carmen of San Sebastián Minor Basilica of Quiapo, Manila is the first image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Philippines. The venerable image was brought to the Philippines in 1618 by Spanish Recoletos on their 3rd mission to the country, led by Fray Rodrigo de San Miguel. The sacred statue was a gift presented by the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Mexico while their ship was anchored there, en route to Manila. The crew elected the Virgen del Carmen the ‘capitana’ of their ship in their voyage to the Pacific. Prior to the arrival of the Carmelites in the country, it was the Augustinian Recollects who first propagated the devotion to the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and miracles were proven to be numerous over the years that with the permission of the Carmelite Order, both the Carmelites of Ancient Observance (OCarm) and the Discalced Carmelites (OCD), a Confraternity was formed to propagate the devotion to the Virgin of Carmel and the Brown Scapular. The Queen of Quiapo was Canonically Crowned on August 18, 1991.

The Dungaw meetings rites

The origins of the "Dungaw" rites were unknown due to scant of records available, yet some of the old programs for the festivities of the Virgen del Carmen were discovered in the archives of the Augustinian Recollects stated that such tradition existed. The rite, which was discontinued in the early 1900s also for still-unknown reasons and revived on January 9, 2014, On this rite, the Black Nazarene is coming from R. Hidalgo Street, stopping briefly at Plaza del Carmen, a square along the southwest flank of the neo-gothic Basílica Menor de San Sebastián, before proceeding towards Bilibid Viejo Street.

After the recitation of the rosary by congregation inside San Sebastián Minor Basilica, the Recollect fathers remove the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel from her altar and place the image on a special platform at  the Basilica's balcony.  There, the Virgin is lifted up by several priests to "see" and "meet" the Black Nazarene as devotees fall silent, with several prayers, and hymns being chanted fervently. Shortly thereafter, the priests slowly turn the Virgin's image so that it "watches" the Black Nazarene and its procession depart the vicinity of Plaza del Carmen as the Basilica’s bells are rung. The image of Our Lady is then returned to her high altar.

The "Reverse" Dungaw of the Nazareno and
Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian during
the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival
of the Virgin of Carmel of San Sebastian in 2018.

The nature of the Dungaw is quite unique for it is the meeting of the two of the most venerable images of Quiapo, Manila. The "Dungaw" rites is more of a religious courtesy where it was in this rite that the King and Queen of Quiapo meet in a glorious manner, not the meeting of the Sorrowing Virgin and her Son as some of the faithful opined as it was already done with the "Sungaw" rites and leading the faithful to prayer. It can be said that the "Dungaw" rites is also a transitional rite for it invites the faithful to celebrate the January del Carmen festivities after that of the Nazareno which is traditionally celebrated every January 29 (9 days after the feast of San Sebastian, the Titular Patron of the Basilica))- both great legacies of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines. 

A synthesis

What is the significance of these Marian meeting rites that were incorporated in the famed Traslación of the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno of Quiapo, Manila? One may notice that in these three Marian meeting rites, there is a feeling of joy meeting Mary along the way that would eventually lead to silence to pray and reflect on the meeting of the Mother and Son. These meeting rites of Our Lady to showed us, in a way, her maternal love to her Son and to all of us the faithful. As Our Lady will do a "Visita", she is making sure that we are in the path towards her Son and once we get astray or lose hope, she is waiting for us to meet her in our own "Sungaw" whenever we are suffering a great deal and needed comfort so she can strengthen us in our own "Pagtatagpo" along our long journey in life so we can have our glorious "Dungaw" of her and her Son as an inspiration to go further until we reached our own destination, to be with her and her Son, the Nazarene.

Reference:

Aviado, Lutgarda, (1972), Madonnas of the Philippines, Manlapaz Press, Quezon City.
Barcelona, Mary Anne.(2004) Ynang Maria: a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the    Philippines. Ed. Consuelo B. Estampa, P.D. Pasig City, Anvil Publishing Inc.
Cruz, Joan Carroll (1989), Prayers and Heavenly Promises; Imprimatur: Most Rev. Francis B. Schulte, TAN Books, United States of America.
Kasaysayan ng Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Manila.
Virgen de la Soledad in the Philippines, Retreived from http://vsoledaddeportavaga.weebly.com/virgen-de-la-soledad-en-filipinas.html.
Rubia, Rommel, OAR, (2013) Del Carmen de San Sebastian, Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, Plaza del Carmen, Quiapo, Manila.
Sanchez, Francisco (1904). La Virgen Maria Venerada en sus Imagenes Filipinas, Manila: Imp. De Santos y  Bernal.

Devotional materials:

Nobena sa Karangalan ng Mahal na Poong Hesus Nazareno (1980), Aklatang Lunas Publishing, Tayuman, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
Novena in honor of Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian (2017), Minor Basilica of San Sebastian, Plaza del Carmen, Quiapo, Manila, Third edition.
The Devotion of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1999), The Fatima Center, 17000 State Route 30, Constable, New York, United States of America.
The Way of the Cross (2007), Congregation of the Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate, Don Bosco Press, Makati City.

Interviews:

Mr. Robin Joy Cantos of the Parish of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Manila, Camba, Manila.
Mr. Christopher Palabay of the Sta. Cruz Parish - Archdiocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
Rev. Fr. Emil Quilatan, OAR of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects.

Photo Credits:

Daquioag, Micheal Angelo
Ibañez, Cepcep
Cantos, Robin Joy