good friday

aura: tired
audio: fall out boy - sugar, we're goin

for the past few years, i have been spending my holy week just staying in our home.. this year, i've decided to experience something new.. so i joined my mom and my dad to the procession of the black nazarene at quiapo.. they have been doing it twice a year.. every feast of the black nazarene and every good friday.. they were the only times the black nazarene of quiapo church is being brought out and being drawn around the area.. and believe me, from what i see in tv every year, i really hesitated to join my parents today. but my mom assured me that the crowd would be way too few compared to the crowd present during the feast.. she told me that during the feast, people from provinces would really come here to witness the statue of nazarene and be part of the feast.. this year's was a bit tragic coz a number of people were injured and some have died..

we got up early at around 3 am coz we still have to do some preparations.. they said that the nazarene would be brought out at 6 am.. we reached the destination at around 530 am knowing that the procession has already started.. we found out that the nazarene was brought out at 5 am.. the crowd was a whole lot calmer compared to what i witness in tv every year during the feast of the black nazarene.. but still for me the crowd is already huge.. groups of followers came to join the procession.. bringing thier own poon that also varied in saizes and way of carrying them.. some would carry it by groups, all on their shoulders.. it is evident how heavy some were carrying that one or two of them would have to guide in front.. push the group in order to stop when needed to stop.. and by the way.. majority of the crowd are bare footed.. but not us.. hehe..

anyway, so we walked towards the procession's directions in order to catch up and join the crowd.. i have to admit i was a bit dissapointed at first when we found out we were late.. it was my first time and i really would love to sea the black nazarene up close.. luckily one of us somehow know the path the procession would take so she led us the way.. and then there it was.. the black nazarene.. i couldn't describe the feeling i had when it passed by.. we weren't able to go any nearer.. but you could feel it's presence.. the way the crowd responded to it.. i had to admit it kinda gave me the creep.. i could feel my heart pounding.. the scene was pretty intense you could hear poeple shouting and i see the crowd throwing towels to the people with the black nazarene for them to wipe it then thrown back to the crowd, and i could imagine people trying to reach the black nazarene.. witnessing and experiencing this event made me feel kinda heavy yet refreshed.. happy yet lonely.. i just couldn't describe how i really felt at that moment.. but i believe i was relieved and felt proud of myself when i saw it..

so we were able to follow and continued with the procession.. the sun is up and started to become hot.. but we just continued.. we didn't follow the procession till the black nazarene was brought back to the church though.. we just stopped to one location and fled away.. hehe.. my mom said that we already reached the farthest point of the procession.. and the black nazarene shall be brought back to the church already.. but a lot of the crowd still went on..

and i guess i found it very interesting when i heard my mom telling someone that the black nazarene must be brought back to the church before 12 noon.. i really don't know why.. i didn't even bothered to ask.. also.. according to my dad.. the shorter the path which the black nazarene passes, the worse the sign becomes.. don't really know if this "omen" includes the entire world or only here in the philippines.. hehe.. and of course i took some photos.. hehe..

you could check them in my yahoo photo album. try to check the NEW!!! album..

hope everyone had a peace, relaxing and meaningful holy weekend... keep the faith.. and God bless everyone..