Some of the treasures of the history of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine of the Order of Augustinian Recollects and the environments and spaces where it has carried out its work throughout history and today.
The procession of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo is the most populous religious phenomenon in the Philippines. Celebrated on the 9th of January along the streets of old Manila, it would be improper to call it a procession since it does not follow an ordered itinerary: Jesus, with the Cross upon His shoulders, navigates through an endless ocean of frenzied devotees struggling and risking life and limb to touch the image.
This life-sized statue of Christ is a replica of the original housed in the Convent of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino in Intramuros. It was likely a copy of the Black Nazarene statue that was kept there and used for the procession, eliminating the need to take out the original.
No records exist of the date when the Black Nazarene arrived in Manila; however, a Confraternity was already established by 1650, which had acquired an indulgence from Rome. It was possibly installed since the inauguration of the Recoletos Church of Saint Nicholas in 1619, as the original floor of the temple had already anticipated the disproportionate space of the chapel of the Nazarene (above), which was practically an authentic temple attached to the church at the same level as the church transept.
Its provenance is also a matter of conjecture. It was presumed to have originated outside the Philippines, but it is not known whether it was sculpted in Mexico or in Spain. In any case, we are talking about the original image, not the replica that is continuously venerated at Quiapo.
The Confraternity of the Nazarene was very vigorous and forceful. It reached the rank of archconfraternity and for many centuries supported and maintained missions in Mindanao. It also took charge of fostering the veneration of Saint Lucy, which was very popular and eventually spread throughout all the islands. Finally, the Museo Recoleto in Quezon City has preserved the chalice used by Pope Leo XIII during the celebration of his sacerdotal jubilee in 1888, later given to the convent of Saint Nicholas of Intramuros—a donation commensurate with the offering he had received from the Province and the Archconfraternity of the Nazarene.
Since 2016, San Sebastian Parish has sought to highlight the importance of the Recollect provenance and tradition of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo. Thus, as the procession on 9 January passes by Plaza del Carmen—the city square of the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, where she is enthroned—they call it Dungaw—a Tagalog term for “looking out of a window”—signifying the encounter between the Mother and her Son. This moment culminates the manifestation of faith that is highly poignant and indicative of Recollect origin.
