MANILA, Philippines – Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle challenged devotees of the Black Nazarene on Thursday, January 9, to remember victims of disasters such as Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) to live their faith in the suffering Christ.

In his homily during the fiesta Mass at the Quirino Grandstand, Tagle also reminded devotees of people affected by Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) in 2012, Tropical Storm Santi (Nari), the Zamboanga siege, and the earthquake in Bohol.

“Ang nakakaalala sa Diyos, makakaalala sa kapwa,” Tagle said. (Those who remember God remember their neighbor.)

Slamming corruption in government, the cardinal also urged devotees to denounce wrongdoing.

He told them not to be ashamed of their faith in Christ. “’Yung pagnanakaw hindi na ikinahihiya! ‘Yun ang dapat ikahiya!” (We’ve not been ashamed of stealing! That’s what we should be shameful of!)

Eventually, commotion ensued before the Mass ended.

Interrupting the Mass before Communion, devotees went up the altar and took the 400-year-old statue for the annual procession.

The procession is ongoing as of posting time.

Devotees pray before the miraculous statue of the Black Nazarene, a dark 400-year-old image of the suffering Christ.

Brought by missionaries from Mexico, the image eventually became a symbol of hope in the Philippines, the most predominantly Catholic country in Asia that is also one of the poorest. – Rappler.com