When January comes, I get to recall this rather simple incident. There was this poem called “The Gentleman of Ten” espousing certain values to young boys in grade three. At dismissal time came, just before the prayers at the end of the class, the students were rather unruly so the teacher, Mr. Maximo Ronquillo sarcastically says “Where are the Gentlemen of ten?”
A clever “In Quiapo,” retorts a rolly polly boy stuffing his school books in his bag.
“Okay gentleman in Quiapo, stay after class” asserts Mr. Ronquillo, a disciplinarian and a Philippine Scout veteran of World War II.
The gentleman in Quiapo was the late Jose Leonardo Inoturan, later a Dean at the College of St. Benilde and affectionately called “Sir Pepe” by his students.
This anecdote has created such an impression on me, not because Pepe is a likeable fellow nor because Mr. Ronquillo is a teacher one does not forget, but because Quiapo is a personification of Manileños. January to Manileños, brings that celebrated event where thousands of devotees to the Black Nazarene endure to carry the image in procession, perhaps to fulfill a solemn promise. Many attribute cures, favors and miracles to the Black Nazarene even if the church hierarcy has not bothered to evaluate and verify any of these claims.
The devotees have a term for joining the procession: "Isasalang" a tagalog term ananalogous to "Ordeal by fire." Devotees equate this tribulation as a process of one's own purification. Is this a superstitious practice or is this akin to various practices of corporal mortification practiced by saints? The devotees represent a diaspora of the population, from civil society, movie stars to drivers, workers and yes, criminals. Many are awed by this public display of devotion, yet there are those who censure it as a tumultuous worthless event.
In the last analysis, there are probably nosaints in the Black Nazarene procession. After all, it was Jesus of Nazareth who said "I came not to call the just, but sinners to penance." (Lk:5:32)
Sir Pepe, you are right. The gentlemen are in Quiapo.
The devotees have a term for joining the procession: "Isasalang" a tagalog term ananalogous to "Ordeal by fire." Devotees equate this tribulation as a process of one's own purification. Is this a superstitious practice or is this akin to various practices of corporal mortification practiced by saints? The devotees represent a diaspora of the population, from civil society, movie stars to drivers, workers and yes, criminals. Many are awed by this public display of devotion, yet there are those who censure it as a tumultuous worthless event.
In the last analysis, there are probably nosaints in the Black Nazarene procession. After all, it was Jesus of Nazareth who said "I came not to call the just, but sinners to penance." (Lk:5:32)
Sir Pepe, you are right. The gentlemen are in Quiapo.
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