Manila (dpa) – Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Sunday warned of a suspected terrorist plot to disrupt an annual religious procession that is expected to be attended by millions of devotees. But he assured Filipinos that the government “will do what it has to do to ensure the safety” of everyone planning to attend the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo district in central Manila on Monday. The Black Nazarene is a centuries-old, life-size wooden statue of a suffering, dark-skinned Jesus Christ. It is said to have been brought to the Philippines by a Spanish priest from Mexico in 1606. The Feast of the Black Nazarene is one of the most-celebrated religious events in the predominantly Catholic country, where more than 80 percent of the population professes the faith. Last year, more than 1 million people joined the procession. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/eE2Lw Tags: Feast of Black Nazarene, Philippines Section: East Asia
