Nazarene throngs sign of rising poverty–prelate

By Jocelyn R. Uy: Philippine Daily Inquirer: 01/11/2011
MANILA, Philippines—Sunday’s Black Nazarene procession thronged by millions is a signal to the government that an increasing number of Filipinos are seeking divine intervention to lift them from worsening poverty, Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz said Monday.
Cruz said over Church-run Radio Veritas that the growing number of devotees of the dark-skinned Christ, which was introduced to Filipinos in the early 17th century, was a manifestation of the depressing plight of the common folk.
“That is one of the most significant messages of the devotion to the Black Nazarene,” he said, “that more Filipinos are clinging to God as their last hope because of the worsening poverty in the country.”
Last year, about six million devotees joined the festivities, according to police estimates.
On Sunday, the National Capital Region Police Office pegged the number of participants at between 7 and 7.5 million. Most of the devotees wore maroon and gold shirts and were barefoot during the procession that began early in the morning and ended past midnight under intermittent rain.
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) listed 708 injuries from the fanatical demonstration of faith, which was triple the number of cases registered last year.
Those taken to first-aid stations set up along the procession route suffered foot lacerations, head injuries, high blood pressure, headache, dizziness, exhaustion and epilepsy, said Gwendolyn Pang, PRC secretary general.
The participants jostled through the thick and frantic crowd for a touch or a kiss of the image or the cross the Christ bears in the hope their appeals and prayers would be answered.
Many join the festivities in thanksgiving but most of the devotees also ask for blessings—like food every day, a high-paying job or healing of an illness.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20110111-313771/Nazarene-throngs-sign-of-rising-povertyprelate