Grandsons help cataract-stricken grandfather pull Black Nazarene

In an act of faith that spans years and generations, a partially blind 52-year-old grandfather is helped by his three grandchildren to pull the carriage of the image of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila. Devotees from all walks of life troop to today’s grand procession of the Black Nazarene, a revered ebony-colored image of Christ believed to have miraculous powers, as it is paraded around Quiapo, Manila. As always since he was 27 years old, Arthur Cecilio will walk the whole route of the grand procession barefoot. But with his lanky frame and cataract and glaucoma-stricken right eye, Cecilio brought three of his young grandsons with him this time. "Laking pasalamat ko" “’Di na ako makakita nang maayos, kaya laking pasalamat ko rin na itong mga apo ko ay nagsabing gusto nilang sumama sa prusisyon (I can't see very well anymore, so I'm very thankful that my grandchildren asked to come with me in the procession)," Cecilio says. His three grandsons, aged eight to 11 years old, volunteered to attend this year’s procession. The three boys, who brought with them a 13-year-old classmate, were all clad in maroon —the traditional color of the Black Nazarene's devotees. Three decades of devotion Cecilio, who spent 28 years pulling the ropes of the Black Nazarene’s carriage, cannot do so today because of his eye condition. Opting not to join any of the groups of “mamamasan" during the grand procession, Cecilio considers his “panata" to the Black Nazarene as very personal. Having joined the grand procession every year since he was 24, Cecilio recalls refusing invitations to pull the ropes of the Nazarene’s carriage. “Basta noon ayoko. Pero noong isang pista, bigla na lang napunta sa akin iyong lubid. ‘Kako, wala nang atrasan ito. Wala na akong nasabi. Mula noon, naging panata ko nang maging mamamasan kahit wala akong grupo," the lanky Cecilio explained. Cecilio, who was supposed to undergo eye operation last December, was unable to do so because of health insurance problems. He counts on his younger companions to guide him with this year’s procession. He shares, “Sila ang nagprisintang pumunta. Gusto ko nang ituloy-tuloy para kung hindi ko na kayang pumunta, mayroon nang papalit sa akin." No less than 5 million devotees All around Cecilio and his grandkids is a frenzied crowd that has been gathered since the wee hours of Saturday morning at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, singing and shouting praises to the Black Nazarene, whose feast is being celebrated today. Fireworks shoot through the early morning darkness, thousands raise their hands in praise, white towels are waved in the air, and thousands of maroon-clad faithful sing the Black Nazarene hymn. In between are cries of “Viva Señor!" No less than five million devotees of the Black Nazarene are seen to attend the annual event, which draws people from all across the country. - TJD, GMANews.TV