MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A mammoth crowd of mostly barefoot Filipino Catholics prayed for peace in the Middle East as they began an annual procession of a centuries-old black statue of Jesus Christ in one of Asia’s biggest religious events Thursday.
The daylong procession of the wooden Black Nazarene draws massive numbers of mostly poor Catholic devotees who pray for the sick and a better life each year. But widespread fears over the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran were highlighted in a predawn Mass before Thursday’s raucous procession unfolded.
“Let us remember that in other parts of the world, the threat of violence is brewing and, hopefully, this will not lead to war,” Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle told the crowd at a Manila seaside park.
