Iloilo city: Fifty years ago, a replica of the image of Jesus Nazareno was shipped to Sta. Barbara in Iloilo from Quiapo, Manila by siblings Nemesia and Natividad Sumagaysay with the help of a friend. Since then, it has served as the centerpiece of their faith, keeping the family closer and intact.
According to Philippines News Agency, the two unmarried sisters were devout Roman Catholics and played a crucial role in instilling devotion to Jesus Nazareno, which was passed from one generation to another. "It's from the heart. From that time on, we love the Nazareno. And everything, if we have problems, it's Jesus Nazareno. We have trials in the family, we have a lot of trials, but we were able to handle it because of our devotion to Jesus Nazareno," said retired Judge Erlinda Tersol, grandchild of Nemesia and Natividad, and a member of the third generation of the family, in an interview.
Tersol recalled when their eldest sibling, Bernardita Sinfuego, fell and suffered from a hip injury. She was scheduled for an operation, but with the help of their prayers to Jesus Nazareno, it was discovered that there was an embolism or a blockage in a blood vessel. "If the operation went through, it was dangerous for her. So, there was no operation performed until such time that the embolism was cured. It was a miracle, it's always a miracle," she said.
The life-size image used to stay in their ancestral house but is currently being taken care of by Sinfuego. The entire family helps prepare the image during the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno. Tersol said their devotion helped their grandchildren go abroad, and every year they make sure they come home for the celebration of the feast day. "We were able to maintain peace in the family because of Jesus Nazareno. Every time, everybody is here to help push through this Feast of Jesus Nazareno," she said.
Her nephew, Kit Sinfuego, recalled that when they were young, their grandparents encouraged them to visit the image of the Nazareno-a tradition that later shaped their religious devotion. While he works in the United States, he always comes home in time for the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno. He said he could no longer count the favors and blessings he received because of his devotion. "Every time, I always pray that he gives me a vacation every January," he said in an interview.
Tersol also counts as a blessing and a result of their devotion when her children, lawyers Genevieve and Robespierre, passed the 2020 and 2021 Bar Examinations. Genevieve had a small image of the Jesus Nazareno in front of her while taking the Bar, while Robespierre always kept an image inside his room, the retired judge said.
On Friday, Tersol said there will be a 5:30 a.m. mass at the Sta. Barbara Parish Church, to be followed by a short procession to celebrate the Feast of Jesus Nazareno. This year, the Nazarene will be wearing a new dress that was made to order from Pampanga. It was bought by his nephew, a devout Jesus Nazareno devotee, before his death due to an illness in 2022. Except for the new dress, the replica still has the original crown, potencias, belt, and the wooden cross that was part of its clothing when the image arrived in 1976.
She hoped that the young ones would be able to appreciate and know Jesus Nazareno by heart, as she noticed that most of the devotees were adults. "To the devotees of Jesus Nazareno, please come and join us as we celebrate the 50th year of the Jesus Nazareno with us on Jan. 9 at 5:30 a.m. mass at the Sta. Barbara Parish Church. We will be happy to see you around. I know Jesus Nazareno will be able to help us all in our undertakings in our lives," she said.
