Quiapo Church (Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene), Manila City

Basilika ng Nazareno at night

Quiapo Church, officially known as Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, is a Roman Catholic church located in the District of Quiapo, Manila, in the Philippines. The church is one of the most popular churches in the country. It is home to the Black Nazarene, a much venerated statue of Jesus Christ which many people believe has miraculous attributes. The church was painted cream after the original Mexican Baroque  edifice was burned down in 1928. It is expanded to its current form in 1984 for accommodation of thousands of devotees. Also known as St. John the Baptist Parish, the church at present belongs to the Archdiocese of Manila.

Quiapo Church when not so busy

 The current rector is Rev. Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio, former Chancellor and Oeconomus of the Archdiocese of Manila.

The Quiapo Church during First Fridays of the month.

Photo taken inside the church

Me 

History:

In the early years of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, Quiapo district was a marshy place crisscrossed by canals, thereby forming several islets. It was principally a fishing village with some portions planted to vegetables.

The name Quiapo is derived from a water lily locally called “Kiapo” which grew abundantly in the canals and marshes. It is different from the water lily that we see nowadays floating in the Pasig River.


When Governor General Santiago de Vera founded the District of Quiapo on August 29, 1586, the Franciscan Missionaries built the first church of Quiapo with Bamboo and Nipa. San Pedro Bautista, a Franciscan missionary at that time was one of the founders of the Quiapo church, thus his image is located at one of the side niches of the church.

Unfortunately, this church was burned in 1639. Rebuilding and repairs at intervals gave the parish a stronger edifice which the earthquake of 1863 partially destroyed. Under the supervision of Fathers Eusebio de Leon and Manuel Roxas, the third church was completed in 1899, with Fr. Roxas raising PhP. 40,000.00 from contributions. In the fire of October 30, 1928, the church was left in ruins leaving its scarred walls and belfry. Dona Encarnacion Nakpil de Orense, head of the Parish Committee, raised funds for the reconstruction of the church and National Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil was made responsible for the church's rebuilding. Miraculously, the church survived the ravages of the Second World War, despite its surrounding buildings being completely destroyed.

The church interior

The Altar

To meet the needs of an ever-increasing number of churchgoers, Msgr. Jose Abriol, together with Architect Jose Ma. Zaragoza and Engr. Eduardo Santiago, worked hard in 1984 to have the parish church and national shrine remolded. Thus this sacred edifice has doubled in holding capacity and has acquired a most sturdy columnless structure and modern architectural beauty. Cardinal Sin blessed it on September 28, 1987. The year after, Quiapo Church was declared the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. The Papal Nuncio, Most Rev. Bruno Torpigliani, blessed the altar of San Lorenzo Ruiz on February 1, 1988.

The Main Entrance to the church

Rt. Rev. Msgr. Jose C. Abriol also instituted many improvements, the most outstanding of which is the construction of four concrete building at R. Hidalgo St., to house the Parochial School which has tremendously improved under the management of the Sisters of St. Paul de Charters.

  

The Black Nazarene

Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno

The Black Nazarene is a life-sized, dark-colored, wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ held to be miraculous by many Filipino devotees. Its original carver is an anonymous Mexican carpenter, and the image was transported by a galleon from Acapulco, Mexico. The image is currently enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines where novena celebrations are held every Friday throughout the whole year. Roman Catholic tradition holds that the Black Nazarene came from a boat that caught fire, turning it from its original white into black or charred complexion.

The Black Nazarene Procession "Pasan"

The Black Nazarene is carried into the streets for procession in a "Caroza" or carriage.The feast of the Most Holy Black Nazarene is celebrated every 9 January while novena masses begin on the first Friday day of the year, in honor of its weekly novena mass held every Friday.



The Black Nazarene is also famously noted for its devotees who walk the procession streets barefoot, without shoes or sandals as to imitate Jesus Christ on his way to Mount Calvary. The intensity of the devotion to the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno flourished and spread throughout the Philippines.

The image was brought to the Philippines by the Augustinian Recollect Missionaries on May 31, 1606. It was initially enshrined in the first Recollect church in Bagumbayan (now part of Rizal Park). On September 10, 1606, the church was inaugurated and placed under the patronage of St. John the Baptist. In 1608, the Nazarene image was transferred to the second bigger Recollect church of San Nicolas de Tolentino built inside the fortress of Intramuros. Between the years 1767 and 1790, the Archbishop of Manila, Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa y Rufina, ordered the transfer of the image of the Nazareno to the church in Quiapo under the patronage of St. John the Baptist.

The Black Nazarene procession

The Black Nazarene procession

The veneration of the Black Nazarene is very popular among Filipinos because of their religious piety and devotion to the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Many devotees of the Black Nazarene attribute their poverty and struggles in the daily society to the wounds and tribulations of Jesus Christ, as represented by the Black Nazarene.
During the annual public procession, only the original body of the Black Nazarene is displayed in procession to the public, while the original head portion of the statue is retained in the Basilica of the Black Nazarene within the high altars of the church. In the 2007 Black Nazarene feast, both the original head and the body were combined together in celebration of the Black Nazarene's 400 year old history.

Devotees pay homage to the Santo Cristo Jesus Nazareno by clapping their hands in praise at the end of Mass performed at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. Everyone also gets a chance to receive the sprinkle of  "Holy Water" at the end of the Eucharistic celebration.


Mass schedule:

Schedule of Services

Today, Quiapo Church has remodeled and acquired the adjacent properties to cater to the growing needs of its parishioners and devotees. Its programs are increasing in order to respond to the growing needs of those who come to this church.

Parish Office Contact Information

The Song of the Black Nazarene

The Song of the Black Nazarene is sang at the end of each mass while devotees raised their hands. Lay ministers then, sprinkle the Holy water to all mass goers in the church.

If you will go to Quiapo Church especially on Friday, wear light clothing and be ready for the hot temperature inside the church due to so many people around you. It could be very uncomfortable to others especially when its your first time. But in case you don't want to "muscle in" inside the church, you can watch the mass in front of a big TV screen at the church patio on its left side.  

The Big Screen TV

The blessed sacrament is also a good place to meditate. Its comfortable, air conditioned  and very solemn. Please note that shoes and slippers are not allowed inside the blessed sacrament so you have to leave it outside. The ladies assigned will give you a number tag for your shoes or slippers. 

Another statue of the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno is located on the left wing of the building. There you will see line of people wanting to kiss and hold on to the Black Nazarene statue. 

Personal reflection: 

My family and I have been a regular Nazareno devotee even when were still young. My loving dad, Guillermo or Mang Emong, as they fondly called him, has regularly joined the street procession each year and I remember when I was a kid that after the procession and when he got home, his feet resembles dark colored shoes with so much mud and dirt on it, while his shirt is soaking wet with sweat. I also remember him one time telling story that he was almost crushed when the "caroza" (which is made of steel and hardwood) he was holding on, nearly bumped the side of the main entrance door with him in the middle being squeezed so tight, but praise God he survived.


I thank God for our parents guidance that made us continue our devotion to Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno.  

Now that both of them have passed away, my brother Geeki and I, with our own schedules, together with our families almost regularly go to Quiapo church every Friday. Sometimes we meet there and after the mass, we sip a hot cup of coffee at the nearby Dunkin Donuts.  Our Kuya Fred and Ate Marina, during their visits to the Philippines also comes to Quiapo church to say their prayers too.


About 2 years ago, we have an American visitors from Good Samaritan Hospital in Ohio, USA, which I toured and brought to Quiapo church. Being religious Catholics, they were so amazed about the size of the church, its history and how Filipinos gives reverence to the Black Nazarene. 

I believe my family and I will continue to visit the Quiapo Church as long as we can and I invite you to do the same if you have the opportunity.


I pray to Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno to continue to shower you with His blessings more than you can ever imagine. 

Se you at the Quiapo Church!

How to get there: 

Public transportation is not a problem. Every Taxi cab, bus and jeepney driver knows where Quiapo Church is. The main road going to the church is always Quaipo Blvd or Espana if your coming from the North. From the South, its Taft Avenue or Roxas Blvd.,towards Quiapo.