The Black Nazarene/El Nazareno Negro/Poóng Itím na Nazareno

The Black Nazarene/El Nazareno Negro/Poóng Itím na Nazareno

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The Black Nazarene (Spanish: El Nazareno Negro, Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, Hesus Nazareno; Filipino: Poóng Itím na Nazareno) is a life-sized, dark-colored, wooden sculpture (carver was an Aztec carpenter) of Jesus Christ bearing the Cross. The figure was carved by an Aztec sculptor from a dark mesquite wood in the 16th century in Mexico for a group of Spanish Augustinian Recollect friars, and then transported to the Philippines in 1606. It depicts Jesus en route to his crucifixion. The statue was approved for devotional worship by Pope Innocent X in 1650 under the keep of Confradia de Santo Cristo Jesus Nazareno. It was housed in several churches near Manila in the early decades, reaching the Quiapo church in 1787 where it has been ever since.

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Three times a year, the statue or a duplicate of it is brought out of its shrine for public veneration on New Year's Day (the first day of its novena); Good Friday; and January 9. The procession on the 9th of January reenacts the image's Traslación, or solemn transfer in 1787 to the Minor Basilica from its original location in what is now Rizal Park. The Traslación procession on January 9 is the largest of the three, drawing millions of devotees, people thronging to touch and get a blessing from the image, and it lasts anywhere from 14 to 20 hours. The Black Nazarene statue is venerated by Filipino devotees every Friday, and along with Santo Niño de Cebú (Infant Jesus) is the most popular object of devotion in the Philippines.

Many have experienced healings through touching the Nazareno or praying to Him.