Nazareno de San Pablo begins pilgrimage in Venezuela for Jubileo 2025

The image of the Nazarene of San Pablo, which inspires a great popular devotion in Caracas, began its pilgrimage for the jubilee temples of the capital of Venezuela, within the framework of the Jubileo de la Esperanza and the 350 years of its consecration.

It is a statue of Jesus with the cross in tow, dressed in purple, which arrived in Venezuela in the mid -seventeenth century. Since then, Catholics ask for favors that then “pay” accompanying their pilgrimage every Holy Wednesday, in which they offer candles and orchids, the national flower.

According to the Archdiocese of Caracas, it is one of the most entrenched devotions in the Venezuelan people, which comes from all corners of the country to Caracas to express its faith in the most diverse ways.

On March 8, the Holy Image departed to the parish of Our Lady of Carmen and the next day, March 9, arrived at the parish of Our Lady of Dolores. In both temples, the devotees filled the streets to accompany the Nazarene with prayers and songs. The Nazareno itinerary as a “missionary of hope” will continue this March 15, when he arrives at the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary and will run until next April 6.

The auxiliary bishop of Caracas, Mons. Carlos Márquez, reflected on the apparent contradiction of an image of suffering Jesus as a symbol of hope. When consulted by ACI Press on this issue, Mons. Márquez said that “the Nazarene of St. Paul is Christ, alive and resurrected.”

“It is Christ that carries our pains, who assumes our pain and sufferings, but at the same time he is the winner of pain and suffering through his resurrection. When we join the Nazarene in our pains, we also join Christ, living and resurrected, winner of pain and death, ”added Mons. Márquez.

“The closeness of Christ, in the image of the Nazarene, with the Caracas people invites us to look up, to get out of suffering and misery and advance with a firm step towards the resurrection. That is why the Nazarene and this pilgrimage are certain signs of hope, not of vain hope, ”said the auxiliary bishop of Caracas.

Amid the complicated Venezuelan reality, Mons. Márquez invited all the faithful to put their intentions at the feet of the Nazarene.

“The fact that the Nazarene of St. Paul goes to visit the Caracas people, in this jubilee year, gives us clear and true hope that God does not abandon us, loves us and encourages us in our situations of pain and suffering, but also accompanies us to build our dreams and our hopes. God does not leave us, he loves us, and this visit of the venerated image is proof of it, ”said the bishop.

Where does the fame of the Nazarene of San Pablo come from?

The fame of the Nazarene of San Pablo grew exponentially at the end of the 17th century, when a black vomit epidemic hit Caracas, giving the lives of many people. Then, Fr. Mohedano, pastor of the former temple of San Pablo the hermit, who guarded the image (from there his name comes), proposed to take the Nazarene in procession to ask for the end of the plague.

A few blocks from the Church, the cross of the image was entangled with a lemon, who dropped its fruits. This was interpreted by parishioners as a divine signal. Then, they prepared juice with the lemons and gave it to drink the sick, who quickly healed, thus ending the epidemic.

Since then, Venezuelans have not stopped venerating the Nazarene of San Pablo, who for more than 300 years has come out in procession, every Holy Wednesday, regardless of the adversities of the complex reality of the country.