Philippines / Metro Manila / Sightseeing / Quiapo Church

Quiapo Church, at Plaza Miranda along Quezon Ave, is worth seeing not so much for its architecture but more for its contents. The Black Nazarene which is one of the Philippines' most worshipped repre-sentations of Christ is kept here. The statue allegedly was carved by Mexican Indios at the beginning of the 17th century and brought to the Philippines by one of the regular galleons which carried most foreign trade to the archipelago in the early days.

On Friday evenings, long lines of the faithful pass by the glass case which con-tains the figurine. They present to it their grievances from which they request relief, and their wishes which they expect to be-come reality.

On Good Friday, the Black Nazarene is carried in procession throughout the city, fol-lowed by huge masses.

Quiapo Church is located in one of the most air polluted areas of Metro Manila. This is probably why the whole church needed renovation in the middle of the eighties. Now, the original Quiapo Church is mantled in a concrete housing which might resist jeepney exhausts better than the old stone walls.

Some popular sights: