Frederick Deserva Documentation of Traslacion 2015-2017 | Page 4

Devotees clad in maroon, barefoot,
spiritually euphoric and wild vie with each
other for the honor of pulling the rope.
The streets of Quiapo transformed into a
raging sea of human bodies, waving
banners of maroon and gold. Men climb
over the others to wipe the black image
with a white handkerchief or even kiss it.
This is the Feast of the Black Nazarene –
a puzzling devotion even to some
Catholics.