devotees during Black Nazarene icon procession

this year again the barefoot devotees joined the procession of the BLACK NAZARENE going from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church, in Maynila=Manila, yesterday .It is expected to be a crowd of more than one million peoples, some say 2 million peoples.
The wooden ,life sized Black Nazarene, carved in Mexico and brought to the Philippines in the early 17th century , is taken out of the QUIAPO CHURCH on January 9 each year, for the largest known religious procession in the predominantly Roman Catholic country..
The day starts with early morning Mass at the Quirino Grandstand directly broadcasted on TV.
many more peoples line the streets to see the icon, dressed in maroon robes and paraded in a wooden carriage, in a festival that has been held in the Spanish enclave (during the occupation of Spain)for more than 200 years.Onlookers threw white towels and handkerchiefs to devotees, also in yellow shirts,on the carriage to wipe the statue in the hope of carrying away some of its healing powers.peoples come from all over the country to try to get healing for their family members who are sick, who have cancer,they hope for a miracle and the Black Nazarene gives them strength .
Others have another reason to come,anyway it gives peace and strength and it feels like a heavy weight has been lifted.
The devotees hold lengths of stout rope,it looks like giant waves.If you watch TV then you get the impression that the peoples are fighting,but it is just emotion and healing.In the Philippines struck by many disasters in 2009, many people turn or turn back to religion after that year of disasters.
Last year was a real disaster with tropical storms, see my blogposts,floods,landslides, maritime disasters,the sunken ferryboats,and they kille4d more than 2,000 people in 2009.Also in that year the Massacre in Mindanao, Maguindanao, with 57 lives claimed.
Finally, the Mayon Volcano spewed ashes forcing the evacuation of thousands in the province of Albay.
We ask God to abstain from disasters in 2010.( the picture shows the cathedral in Manila).
God bless the Philippines.