The Procession of Faith: Jesus Nazareno
The Passion of Christ in the “Pasos”
in the Parish of Saint Gregory the Great Cathedral
Old Albay District Legazpi City
These are the articles that I wrote for the coffee table book: The Procession of Faith: The Passion of Christ in the “Pasos” in the Parish of Saint Gregory the Great Cathedral Old Albay District Legazpi City. It has a spiritual and evangelistic theme which includes these elements:
A. Introduction
B. Opening Prayer
C. Opening Song
D. Scripture Reading
E. Reflection
F. Family Intercessions
G. Closing Prayer
H. Story of the Paso
B. Opening Prayer
C. Opening Song
D. Scripture Reading
E. Reflection
F. Family Intercessions
G. Closing Prayer
H. Story of the Paso
Read On...
INTRODUCTION
THE HOLY WEEK
PROCESSION IN THE
PARISH OF SAINT
GREGORY THE GREAT
As a Holy Week
Tradition in the Parish of Saint Gregory the Great, the procession of the pasos of the passion and death of Jesus
Christ dates back to many years ago. In
the early years, there were processions held on Holy Monday, Holy Wednesday,
Good Friday and Easter Dawn. Today, processions are held on Good Friday and
Easter Dawn.
The first is the procession of the images, colloquially known
as “paso”, of the passion and death
of Jesus Christ is held on Good Friday. The pasos are evident influences of the
Spanish era. According to Reverend
Jeronimo R. Sevilla, Holy Week procession is a tradition in Seville, Spain. He
further says, “When the Spaniards came to
the Philippines, they noticed that Filipinos worship anitos. This observation
prompted the Spaniards to introduce religious images to the Filipinos as a way
to convert them into Christianity”. A crowd of devotees bearing candles and
rosary walks behind the carriage.
The second is the procession of the paso, Kamunduan sa Pamitisan kan Krus entitled in English as
Solitude at the Foot of the Cross, also
known as Soledad at nine o’clock p.m
. The image is owned by Arguelles/Serrano family of Barangay 7 Old Albay
Legazpi City. “An Soledad ay ang pagsosog
ni Maria sa dalan ni Jesus”, says Reverend Sevilla.
The third is the Easter Sunday Procession of the images of Santa Maria, Agum ni Alfeo, Santa Salome,
Maria Magdalena, San Juan Apostol asin Evangelista, Santa Maria and Resureccion at four o’clock a.m for the
Easter Dawn Mass or “Salubong”. The paso, Jesus Nazareno is presented on the
first Friday of Lent or “Cuaresma” in the Saint Gregory the Great Cathedral and
leads the Station of the Cross every Friday. As written in the Semana Santa
2014 Program brochure of Saint Gregory the Great Parish, An Cuaresma iyo an 40 aldaw na pag andam asin paghorop-horop para sa
Misterio Pascual kan satong Kagurangnang: An Pagkasakit, Pagkagadan asin
Pagkabuhay Liwat ni Kristo.
“The procession in Old
Albay district started probably in the same year the Parish of Saint Gregory
the Great was established”, says Father Deogenes
Barja, the Parish Priest of Saint Gregory the Great. “There are
no records available that chronicles the exact year of the Holy Week
procession””, he added during the interview. “The procession back then was held every Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Good
Friday and Easter Dawn but now we only hold it on Good Friday and Easter Dawn.”
In an electronic mail interview with Diyosis kan Legazpi via their Facebook Page, states that “As to when Holy Week Processions started in
the Parish, it has been a long standing practice in Catholic parishes to hold
such processions – perhaps starting with simple carroza to the elaborate huge
ones we have today”.
What began years ago
with a few images, has blossomed into a host of faithful devotees of images owned
by families from different Barangays of Old Albay, Legazpi City passed from
generation to generation, today numbering to forty eight (48) pasos. The procession has become the
main religious practice every holy week that brings in local tourists and
parishioners.
The age-old “carroza” or
carriage is adorned with floral decorations. The “paso” starts to arrive and gather around the church at five
o’clock pm. The sound of “matraka” and
scent of “kamangyan” or incense
signals the start of the procession at six o’clock p.m. enroute J.B. Alegre
Street to Rizal Street. Father Deogenes
Barja explained that the “matraka” is
used in lieu of the bell because complete silence is observed by the community
after the Paschal Triduum on Holy
Thursday. The Pascal Triduum is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Washing of the
Apostles’ Feet, Renewal of Ministries and Procession of the Blessed
Sacrament. “After the Pascal Triduum, the bell do no toll. It ends in silence and
noise must be minimized even outside the church for us to take time to reflect
on the passion and death of Christ”, says Father Barja. He further adds, “During the early years when it was time for
the procession, an acolyte or seminarian would walk to different barangays with the “matraka” to inform the parishioners
that the procession is about to start”.
The first
in the Good Friday procession are the acolytes
with hands clasped together in supplication, seminarians, priests and church
officials. A group of men dressed as the twelve apostles and children as angels
comes next before the first paso arrives. The paso is brought through the streets of various barangays in Old
Albay, with devotees reciting the Holy Rosary and carrying lighted candles
behind the carroza.
As
it passes along barangays, it halts for a biblical reading about the paso at a Kinurobong. A kinurubong, which
signifies one station of the cross, is a creative representation of Mount
Calvary made of various materials like abaca and paper mosaic. Mrs. Rhodora S. Acuña, a parishioner of Saint
Gregory the Great Parish still remembers the big kinurubong located in different places she saw when she was a
child. She said, “. The last kinurubong is in the church where the paso lines up until the last paso arrives.
Father Barja pointed
out that a biblical reading is read by Lectors and Commentators or LECOM every
time a paso passes by a kinurubong is for the evangelization of the people. It aims for an evangelized
and evangelizing community. This is explained by
Lectors and Commentators or LECOM at the
start of the procession:
Dios marhay na hapon/banggi sa saindo
gabos mga tugang.
An prosisyon kan banwaan nin
Diyos, kaiba an manlaen-laen na
pasos na nagladawan kan Mahal na Pasyon
ni Jesukristo, sarong magayon
asin makahulugan na kaugalian niato sa
lambang pag-abot kan Biernes Santo.
Ini ginigiboniato bako sanang tangani
kita magpitinensya asin makapaghorop-horop bilang mga parabaklay sana sa daga
siring man tangani na matawan
Kita nin ladawan, orog na an mga
kaakian, na makatabanag sa papasabot kan mga mensajee na boot ipaabot sa paagi
kan lambang paso.
Bilang
kasimbagan kan pangapudan kan renewed integral evangelization
An lambang paso na mahihiling nindo
ngonian ipapasabot an kahulugan ta sa siring na paagi, matabangan kita sa
paghorop-horop kan pasyon nin satong Kagurangnan Jesukristo asin masabotan an
agi-agi kan satong kaligtasan.
In
February 2014, Reverend Jeronimo Ma. Rosario R. Sevilla, whose family also owns
a paso, wrote a thesis about the pasos in Albay for his Master of Arts in
Theology Major in Dogmatic Theology entitled “A Proposed Evangelization Program
for Paso Owners of Saint Gregory the Great Catehdral Parish.” Accoding to
Reverend Sevilla, he chose it as a subject because
_____________________________________-
The life size pasos of the Apostles of Christ followed by the pasos of images that depict the
liturgical story of the passion of Christ line up in this order with their
official names:
1.San Pedro, Apostol
2. San Bartoome, Apostol
3. Santo Tomas
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. Huring
Pamanggi
13.
14.
15.
The
solemnity of the procession every Holy Week in the Parish of Saint Gregory the
Great Cathedral has a significant place in the Catholic faith of the Albayanos.
“It is a reminder kan agi-agi ni Jesus
pasiring sa Calvary. We are called to join Him in our everyday life to Calvary.
Holy Week does not end in Good Friday. We look forward to Easter Sunday.
Makapadagos kita gabos sa paglakaw sa Easter Sunday”, says Father Barja.
Indeed, Holy Week renews
our faith in the Lord. Every Lenten experience give us a reason to keep on
believing as Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
OPENING PRAYER
In the name of the Father…
PRAYER TO JESUS NAZARENO
O
most sweet Jesus Nazarene, my God and Redeemer, who trodden the road to Calvary
with the weight of the cross on thy shoulders, look downon me sinner who is now
giving praise to thy sufferings I also thank thee fro saving me through thy meek acceptance of sufferings on the
cross.
Forgive
me my sins, O good Jesus. I acknowledge my weakness and I trust out of
boundless mercy, thou wilt wash with thy blood my unnumerable sins, I love thee
above all things, and promise to be faithful to thy commandments unto the hour
of my death. Be with me, Lord and guide my steps so that I may reach the end of
this earthly journey to the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING
JESUS SHOWS HIS DIVINE AUTHORITY
(Mt. 26:47-56; Mk. 14:43-52; Lk. 22:47-54;
Jn. 18:4-12)
Jesus,
aware of all that would happen to him, stepped forward and said to them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus the Nazarean,” they
replied. “I am he.” he answered. Now
Judas, the one who was to hand him over, was there with them. As Jesus said to
them, “I am he,” they retreated
slightly and fell to the ground. Jesus put the question to them again, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus the Nazarean”, they repeated. “I have told you, I am he,” Jesus said. “If I am the one you want, let these men
go.” This was to fulfill what he had
said, “I have not lost one of those you
gave me.”
THE TITLE OVER THE CROSS
(Mt. 27:37; Mk. 15:26; Lk. 23:38; Jn.
19:19-22)
Pilate had an
inscription place on the cross which read,
JESUS THE NAZAREAN
THE KING
OF THE JEWS
This inscription, in Hebrew, Latin and Greek
was read by many of the Jews, since the place where Jesus was crucified was
near the city. The chief priests of the Jews tried to tell Pilate, “You should
have not written, “The King of the Jews”. Write instead, “This man claimed to
be King of the Jews”. Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
REFLECTION
Jesus Nazareno is
the twentieth (20th) paso presented
during the Good Friday Procession at the Parish of Saint Gregory the Great in
Old Albay, Legazpi City. It portrays the image of Christ carrying the cross. As it passes
by a Station of the Cross or “kinurubong”,
a commentator from LECOM reads a brief narrative in the local dialect:
Iyo ini an sarong
imahen kan pagpasan ni Jesus kan krus pasiring sa
Bukid nin Calvario, kun saen siya ipinako sa mismong krus
asin nagadan. Sa pagtukad niya sa bukid nin Calvario, si Jesus makatolong beses
na napadungkal.
The image of Jesus Nazareno is
similar to the Black Nazarene in Quiapo
because both images depict the suffering Christ carrying the weight of the
Cross representing his passion and suffering. It is a picture of penitential
rigor and restraint. The title
“Nazarene” has a religious significance which goes beyond its denotation of a
citizenship of Jesus Christ or place of origin, Nazareth.
In Seville, Spain it is revered as
Jesus de Silencio which is also an image of Christ on His own carrying His
Cross. The cross on which Christ died
has ever since been a constant reminder to every one of the price the Redeemer
paid for our sins. Jesus Nazareno tellls us to
walk by faith and not by sight and to trust in Him with all out heart.
FAMILY
INTERCESSIONS
That
the Lord may look kindly on the lonely, the abandoned, the sick and those who
suffer in any way, and help them in their trials. And may those who suffer join
their cross to that of Christ for the sake of the Church. We pray.
Heavenly
Father, we offer our hearts to you as a spiritual sacrifice. Cleanse us and
purify our family in the blood of your passion. Lord, hear our prayer.
CLOSING PRAYER
PRAYER TO THE WOUND ON
THE SHOULDER
O most loving Jesus,
meek Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most sacred
Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy cross, which so tore
Thy flesh and said bare Thy bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than
any other wound of Thy most blessed body. I adore Thee, OJesus most sorrowful;
I praise and glorify Thee, and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and
painful wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing
burden of Thy heavy Cross, to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my
mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on toward heaven alon the Way of Thy
Cross. Amen.
STORY OF THE PASO
FOUR GENERATIONS OF
DEVOTION
Albay Pilinut Candy, located at 873
Rizal Street Old Albay Legazpi City is home to the life-size image of Jesus
Nazareno. As one ascends the stairs of Albay Pilinut Candy, the image of Jesus Nazareno is openly displayed at
the entrance area where devotees, local and foreign tourists can pay their
respect by touching and kissing a portion of Christ’s hands as a sign of their
affection. Prayer cards are also given to the devotees especially those who
offer petitions.
The image of Jesus Nazareno has lost none of its radiance for more than hundred
years. It was brought to Legazpi, City by Don Ricardo Morales Regidor Sr, married
to Asuncion Morales-Regidor in 1924 aboard their family owned ship from Malaga,
Spain where the Jesus Nazareno was
beautifully handcrafted by an unknown artist. The image was religiously passed
on to their living descendants and has been with them for many years.
When Asuncion Morales-Regidor died, Don
Ricardo Morales Regidor Sr decided to turn over the image of Jesus Nazareno to his son, Don Antonio
Morales. One story about Jesus Nazareno that
Rosemarie Diaz-Batung still remembers is the one told by her great grand aunt, Angelita
Regidor-Rubin. She is the eldest daughter of Don Ricardo Morales Regidor Sr who
is now eighty-nine years old. According to Angelita, during the Japanese
occupation, they heard a knock in their front door. When they opened the front door,
there was no one outside but still the sound kept on going. They followed the
sound and found out it came from the case where the head of Jesus Nazareno used to be kept. Then
they went back to the front door and saw Japanese people disembarking their
ships. They immediately decided to escape and hide in the mountains bringing
with them the head and hands of Jesus
Nazareno.
In
the 1970s, Don Antonio Morales-Regidor turned over Jesus Nazareno to his daughter Erlinda Regidor-Diaz and husband
Attorney Ranulfo Morota Diaz. Now, the present steward or camarero is Rosemarie Diaz-Battung who carries the tradition with
strong faith since 1984. The image has gone through four generations already, a
testament that the family maintains their deep relationship with one another
and with Jesus Christ.
Though the body of Jesus Nazareno remained uncarved for
many years, it appeared as full figure through fine garments. The statue of Jesus Nazareno now has a sculpted body which
was created a few weeks after the Holy Week in 2014, The tunic is usually made
of velvet in the hues of maroon from deep burgundy to dark red with embroidered
design.
The face of Jesus Nazareno remarkably conveys the weariness of Jesus Christ
that can move devotees to prayer. It has a look of strong love towards the one
looking at it. This is one reason why it
has a large and loyal crowd following each year. According to Rosemarie Diaz,
they prepare food to one hundred devotees that are given after the procession.
The cross, which is the most recognizable sign of Catholic faith, and
crown of thorns with three traditional rays called Tres Potencias are integral parts of the image of Jesus Nazareno. It adorns the head of Nazareno
which is made of silver. The wooden cross is placed on the right shoulder of
Jesus Nazareno.
The family receives donations of
robes for the image of Jesus Nazareno from
devotees especially those have experienced answered prayers. Among them are Ms.
Nora Acuña-Baltazar, whose devotion to Jesus
Nazareno helped cure her cancer and Mr. Alex Rivero, who survived a
vehicular accident. The first thought that came into Mr Alex Rivero’s mind
after the accident was the image of Jesus
Nazareno. In an interview with Father
Canar, he said “Jesus Nazareno is well
known to heal cancer patients.”
Flowers
are also donated. This 2014, Ms. Agnes Diaz-Artillaga offered different fresh
flowers from Dangwa. A sturdy rope surrounded the carroza that protected the presence of roses, anthoriums and
Malaysian mums which added to the solemnity of Jesus Nazareno. In past Good Friday Processions, the image of a
Judeo was installed but was later removed to keep the revered traditional
Catholic iconography of Jesus Nazareno.
“Insipit” and “patanaw”
are annually held at the residence of the Diaz/Battung family every Holy
Thursday. The image of Jesus Nazareno is
displayed in their garden until evening to let the people, who have been
visiting on foot the residences of camarero
of different paso, get a glimpse
of the images and pray.
