Filipino Catholics pray for good health and peace in huge procession venerating Jesus statue

Manila, Philippines (AP) — At least 1.8 million predominantly barefoot Catholic devotees joined an annual procession in the Philippines on Thursday to honor a centuries-old black statue of Jesus. Some said they prayed for the good health of their families, an end to tensions in the South China Sea, and that incoming U.S. President Donald Trump would be kinder to Filipino immigrants.

The procession marks the Feast of the Black Nazarene, a major annual Catholic event in Asia. The statue was previously known as the “Black Nazarene,” but church officials have called for the name to be changed, saying the previous name had no historical basis and carried racial undertones. The procession in Manila began before dawn Thursday and lasted nearly 21 hours, moving slowly along a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) route. The statue was finally brought into the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazarene, also known as the Quiapo Church, at 1:25 a.m. Friday.

National Capital Region police chief, Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin, said the crowd was estimated at about 1.8 million at some point in the afternoon. Last year, at least 2 million devotees joined the 15-hour procession, with some estimates putting the crowd at more than 6 million. Quiapo Church spokesman, Fr. Robert Arellano, said this year's procession was slower than last year's because of the increased number of participants and some crowding devotees climbing onto the glass carriage covering the statue.

As the statue passed by, people shouted “Viva, Viva,” with devotees clutching the ropes pulling the carriage and waving white towels in jubilation. The procession usually draws huge crowds of mostly poor Catholics who pray for the sick and seek a better life. Gaspar Espinosilla, 56, a Manila city employee and a devotee of the Black Nazarene for 20 years, said he was praying for his family, including his sister who has ovarian cancer. He also prayed for an end to tensions in the West Philippine Sea, the part of the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines, where China has been harassing Filipino fishermen and coast guard ships.

“I hope China will ease up on us, they cannot claim everything,” said Espinosilla, who was wearing a maroon T-shirt printed with the face of the Black Nazarene. “That’s ours, not theirs.” Renato Reyes, a scavenger and a devotee of the Black Nazarene for more than three decades, said he was praying for a better life for his family, for the Philippines to be spared from calamities, and for an end to wars overseas. He also said he would include in his prayers Filipinos who may be affected by Trump’s plan for mass deportations of illegal immigrants. “I hope they don’t implement that plan because our countrymen are there just to make a living,” he added.

Officials said about 14,000 police and plainclothes officers were deployed, along with soldiers, firefighters, jail personnel and volunteers. Many nearby roads were closed and cellphone signals were jammed. More than a dozen devotees were seen being carried away on stretchers. The Philippine Red Cross said 467 people were given first aid or other medical assistance for minor ailments such as dizziness, difficulty breathing and nausea. At least 15 patients had to be taken to hospitals. Police reported 604 minor injuries as of Thursday afternoon.

The statue of Jesus carrying the cross was brought to the Philippines from Mexico by Spanish missionaries in 1606 on a sailing ship. According to some accounts, the ship carrying the statue caught fire, but the charred statue survived. However, church historians say the statue’s color is attributed to the fact that it was carved from mesquite wood, which darkens over time. Many devotees believe the statue’s survival through fires, earthquakes and heavy bombing during World War II over the centuries is proof of its miraculous powers.