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Faith, Tradition, and Miracles: Gen Zs in Traslación

Faith, Tradition, and Miracles: Gen Zs in Traslación

by Rescel Ocampo

Recently updated on January 30, 2025 03:24 pm

EVERY year on January 9, millions of Filipinos gather in the streets of Manila for what has been dubbed as a procession of faith for the Jesus Nazarene, a dark-skinned and life-sized statue of Jesus Christ bearing the cross on his shoulder. 

This mass procession is well known as Traslación, a Spanish term for transfer. It is done as a commemoration of the transfer of the image of Jesus Nazarene from Recoletos Church in Intramuros to the present Quiapo Church in 1767 or 1787, depending on what source you are reading. 

The Traslación takes place on January 9, marking the day, over 200 years ago, when the replica of the original Nazarene image was entrusted to Quiapo Church under Archbishop Basilio de Santa Justa y Rufina. 

The Nazarene image is believed to cause miracles to its devotees. But while the Jesus Nazarene icon stays in Quiapo during the rest of the year, January 9 is a special day for devotees because it is the high point of the feast. 

According to Historian and Professor Xiao Chua during an interview with ABS-CBN, this is because the arduous and solemn journey of the procession is what makes devotees reflect.

“In many ways, the sacrifice that you go through, the trouble and being pushed around during the procession for example, the hardships, this is like showing God that you are making sacrifices, atoning for your sins and making you reflect,” he said.

Moreover, Chua, in his 2018 article, “Bayanihan and Order in the Black Nazarene Procession,” noted that while the procession of the Black Nazarene is a tradition over 200 years old, the Traslación itself is a relatively recent practice, introduced only in 2007 to commemorate the arrival of the Recollect priests who brought the image to the Philippines 400 years ago.

“It must be clarified that although the procession of the Black Nazarene around Quiapo is already a 200-year or so tradition, the “Traslación” itself is a recent invention that only started in 2007 to commemorate the 400 years of the coming of the Recollect priests who introduced the image, and then again in 2009, after which it had become an annual event,” wrote Chua in his column. 

Do Gen Z still believe in miracles?

Critics of the Feast of the Nazarene regard the Traslación as an excessive display of devotion that leads to chaos and poses significant risks. Stories of himala (miracles attributed to religious fervor) are often met with skepticism and dismissed as mere manifestations of Filipinos’ blind faith and religious fanaticism.

This sentiment only intensified during the digital age which saw a steep decline in religion. Some believe that Catholicism is on its way to extinction. 

But that doesn’t seem to be the case in the Philippines. Most Filipinos are overwhelmingly still Catholic, representing 78.8%  of over 108 million citizens according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. 

Believers seem to exist from the oldest generation up until to the Gen Zs. In Quiapo, republicasia was able to interview two Gen Z devotees who shared their experiences in Traslación. 

Both Christian Galos, 21, and John Mark Reginio, 18, come from families of devoted followers who have always played an active role during the Traslación. Christian was an 11-year devotee, while John Mark said that he had followed Jesus Nazarene for about 8-9 years already. 

“Tradisyon na po sa family namin na bawat generation po na may mga tao po na sabay-sabay pong sasampa,” said Christian. 

The case was the same for John Mark. His faith was also an inheritance from his family’s traditions. 

“Sa pamilya-pamilya po namin, halos lahat naman po kami pumapasan. Tas na-inspire naman po ako kasi buong pamilya ko po [ang deboto],” shared John Mark. 

Despite their faith being rooted in deeply embedded family traditions, both Christian and John Mark passionately express their belief in himala. Serving as acolytes at the Parish of San Sebastian near Quiapo Church, they each have personal stories of the blessings and miracles they have experienced.

For Christian, the miracle occurred in 2022, when a fire devastated their neighborhood.

“Year 2022 po, bago po mag-New Year, nasunugan po kami. Before po magkasunog, pagkaggising sakin ng kapatid ko po, nasa kabilang kuwarto na po [‘yung sunog],” he narrated. 

Christian shared that being saved from such a close call with the fire was one of the miracles he experienced as a devoted believer.

“Thankful naman po ako sa Diyos kasi po ano, binigyan niya po ako ng second life na safe po ‘yung pamilya namin, safe po bawat isa sa kapatid ko po. And magulang ko rin po.”

John Mark story thread the same line. He also credited his devotion to the Señor Nazareno to having a second life. He said that he had encountered too many accidents, with one resulting in a fractured forehead. 

“So ayun nga, dasal ako nang dasal then humihingi ako ng biyaya na bigyan ako ng second life, ganon. Thankful naman na binigyan ako,” he said. 

John Mark highlighted his faith in the Señor Nazareno by sharing a story of how he was once trampled during a stampede.

“Nahulog po ako sa andas, ta’s nagulungan po ako ng maraming tao,” he said. 

But this did not discourage him from joining the procession. He emphasized the importance of his faith. 

“Pinapalakas ko po ‘yung loob ko na kumapit sa Diyos, ta’s ituloy Traslacion hanggang matapos po.”

For Christian and John Mark, their youth is not an obstacle in serving and believing in the power of the Nazarene. Both encouraged the younger generation to not lose faith because they believe that miracles exist even in the most mundane of things. 

“As part of Gen Z po, inaano ko po sila na mapalapit sa Diyos kasi bibihira na lang po ‘yung mga masyadong nagdarasal po sa panahon namin ngayon. Sana mas maayos po nila ang relationship nila sa Diyos po,” said Christian. 

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