Black Christ devotion and tradition

The Black Christ of Portobelo.

Every year thousands of believers approach the small town of Portobelo, near Colon, on the Caribbean coast on October 21, to pay tribute to the miraculous Black Christ (Cristo Negro) of Portobelo. He is the patron saint of the salsa singers and international personalities like Cheo Feliciano, Gilberto Santa Rosa and the late Celia Cruz who have visited at one point or another the church in which the statue is housed, "Iglesia de San Felipe".

Some of the devotees, wearing purple robes, walk the 53 miles from Panama City, others walk the last 22 miles from Sabanitas and many crawl the last mile on hands and knees to worship before "El Nazareno", one of the names given to the Black Christ by the locals. They all fulfilling the promises made to the saint, after he has granted them miracles.

Mass is called at 6:00 p.m. on October 21. At exactly 8:00 p.m., 80 able bodied men carry the eight foot wooden statue of the Black Christ from the church to begin a four hour procession around the community in a carnival atmosphere.

The bearers take three steps forward, two back following the rhythm of a lively music. They have freshly shaved heads, wear purple robes and have bare feet. It is a distinct honor to be chosen to bear the Black Christ. At exactly midnight, the saint is returned to the church and his followers discard their robes.

The story of the Black Christ is surrounded by myth and legend, but some put the date of his arrival around 1658. One story said that the ship carrying the heavy statue in a wooden crate met a terrible storm that drove it back into the harbor. The ship attempted to leave five times, but every time a sudden and unexpected storm endangered the vessel and everyone aboard. On the final attempt, the crew jettisoned the crated Black Christ to lessen the weight and save their lives. Fishermen, amazed by the lack of respect shown by the sailors, carried the Black Christ to their church and gave it a place of honor.

This is a religious spectacle that must be seen at least once in a lifetime and at the same time you will discover the beautiful beaches of the Caribbean Coast. Portobelo is located 53 miles northeast of Panama City. To get there, drive 41 miles on the Trans-Isthmian highway towards Colon and then make a right turn at the town of Sabanitas. Buses to Colon also depart from Gran Teminal of Transport, in Albrook. Accommodation can be found in and around the city of Colon.

Coiba the infamous penal colony - now a nature reserve

A tame alligator greets the visitors.

Although the penal Colony on the island of Coiba off Panama’s Pacific coast, established in 1919, was disbanded in 1998, a few prisoners remain on the island. They are “Trustys”, serving out their sentences tending to the herd of cattle and oxen which once helped to sustain the colony of over 2000 men.

The prisoners lived in 20 encampments on the islands. Conditions were harsh. Brutality on the part of both prisoners and guards was common and bloody fights, almost like tribal warfare, took place between the settlements. Many prisoners attempted to escape to the mainland at night on rafts. Not many succeeded.

Derelict buildings bear witness to the island’s tragic past.

Both Panama’s neigbors to north and south had similar island penal colonies off their Pacific coasts---Cocos in Costa Rica and Gorgona off Colombia. Both were disbanded in recent years.

Today, the remaining prisoners live on one end of the island near the airstrip and police post. Panama’s environmental Authority (ANAM) has settled on the other end will five park rangers who have the responsibility of guarding a vast area of sea and trying to ensure that laws regarding limits on fish cutches are observed by local and foreign fishing boats. ANAM operates several cabins, functional but not luxurious, on a beautiful secluded beach. The cabins are used by scientists but are available to adventurous tourists who might want to whale-watch from September to November when the Orkas are migrating past the island, or dive and snorkel round the coasts (the Granito de Oro island is a favorite). Ornithologists go to see the Guacamaya Roja which flock to eat the almonds in the later months of the year.

Graffiti from visitors.

The cabins are likely to be the only accomodation on Coiba in the foreseeable future, since, owing to the status of the island in the protected Coiba National Park, declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the Panamanian government passed law 44 prohibiting any more building.

If you really feel the urge to visit Coiba, contact ANAM’S representative in Puerto Mutis province of Veraguas, 998-4172. Sr. Ledys Barrera the chief of the park wardens will make you welcome.