Holoprosencephaly: Ika-401 Taong Pagdiriwang ng Kapistahan ng Quiapo at Mahal na Poong Nazareno

This is now the third year of my "Panata" of going to Quiapo to ask the blessings of the Senyor Nazareno. As before, the crowd was tremendous, but I believe more people flocked to Quiapo yesterday than it did last year. If you want to revisit my last year's account of the 400 Year Feast of the Nazarene, click here

The Senyor Nazareno is believed to be miraculous, a healer who reportedly heals the sick and saved thousands of lives of the terminally ill. Of course, there are also those who have not been healed. Not everyone. Many people take the chance though, because there's really nothing to lose (unless you become a victim of stampede).

Every believer's goal during the procession is to wipe his shirt or handkerchief on the body, face, or dress of the Nazareno. The devotee will then wipe it in the part of his body that is hurting.

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I did not bring along my beloved Nikons (D40x and my new D300) because I didn't want to risk damaging them while I elbow my way towards the procession. I just couldn't use them if I was to follow the procession. Besides, I am not just a spectator, but a participant, a devotee if you will. Some photographers perched themselves on top of houses, vehicles, or even make-shift nests. As for me, my main reason for going is not to shoot photographs, but to follow the procession.

In the end, there really is the insistent photographer in me. And so I brought along my tiny digicam Sony DSC-T9. It is a wonderful tiny camera, unobtrusive, easily slips into my polo pocket, and easy to hide from curious people. It always amazes me by producing photos of slr quality (well, sort of).

And so here they are, my photographs of the 401st Quiapo Feast, as seen from the viewfinder of my Sony digicam. They are far from the best photographs you will see on other photographers blog. My idea is not to compose beautiful pictures, but to capture the moment.

If you have a newspaper, magazine, blog, or website, you can use my pictures free to post on your sites and publications, but please kindly credit them to my name. Anyone can use them but I hope nobody abuses them. :)

A sea of people listening to the mass prior to the procession

Handkerchiefs with the image of the Black Nazarene printed on them. 10 pesos each

PARADE OF THE BLACK NAZARENES

SIGHTS AROUND QUIAPO

Suman! Oh, I love Suman!

Eat the suman with kasoy, guaranteed delicious!

I was surprised to find Tupig (the ones wrapped in banana leaves) for sale in Quiapo. I used to eat them in Manaoag whenever I attend the The Feast of the Our Lady of Manaoag. I bought several pieces for pasalubong.