CELEBRATION OF THE BLACK CHRIST

OCTOBER 21, 2014

CHURCH OF SAN FELIPE

The small Caribbean town of Portobelo, Panama, is overrun with pilgrims on the 21st of October. It is time for devotees to make their annual pilgrimage in order to honor the life sized sculpture of the Black Jesus Christ. Pilgrims from all over Panama make the trip by foot dressed in tunics of purple.

Their destination is the Church of San Felipe where the Black Christ sits to the left of a beautiful golden altar made of mahogany wood. The Church of San Felipe was originally built in 1814, but the bell tower was not completed until 1945.

Thousands of people make the journey to Portobelo. Pilgrims wearing purple, walk barefoot for many miles to reach the church. Some offer penance while walking on their knees or carry a cross on their back making their way to the Church of San Felipe. The ceremony and purple robes tell the world that the wearer is doing penance for wrongdoing or making an expression of his or her faith. In Panama the Patron Saint of Criminals happens to be the Black Christ. Many of the pilgrims are thieves, drug dealers and other not so pleasant people in society. The Black Christ is also the Patron Saint of Singers.

The cruisers here stay mostly close to the waterfront watching from the edges as the crowds make their way into town. At night we mostly stay aboard and off the streets. This year the crowds are smaller and in daylight hours seem very orderly. There is a large police presence on every corner and the road into town has roadblocks checking cars and trucks before letting them pass. In years past there have been many street fights and murders during this religious holiday. The streets of town are lined with booths selling everything from purple religious candles and rosaries to shoes, hats and souvenirs. The Kuna Indian ladies have a large booth at the Counting House selling their famous Molas. Food vendors large and small are keeping the people fed.

At 6 pm on the 21st of October mass is called. At 8 pm eighty men carry the statue of the Black Christ around the town of Portobelo. The slow procession lasts about four hours. The men take three steps forward two steps back as they carry the Black Christ. Music is played and there is a Carnival like feel to the procession. The men carrying the Black Christ have shaved heads, wear purple tunics and are barefoot. When the clock strikes midnight the Black Christ must be returned to its resting place within the Church of San Felipe. Life as we know it in the bay of Portobelo can then get back to normal.