Coco Martin, Traslacion devotee: ‘Wag kayong mapapagod at magsasawang mangarap’

Actor and well-known Black Nazarene devotee Coco Martin delivered an inspiring, heartfelt speech to fellow devotees at this year’s Traslacion or Feast of the Black Nazarene at the Quirino Grandstand.

Martin said he was grateful to rejoin the 2024 festivities after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

“Tatlong taon rin po na hindi tayo nagkasama-sama, pero sa awa ng ating Diyos, ng poong Nazareno, andito tayo para magbuklod-buklod. Kaya maraming maraming salamat sa himala dahil ngayon nagkasama-sama tayo, nakaraos tayo sa pandemya (For three years, we haven’t been together, but by the grace of our God, the Nazarene, we are here in unity. This is why I’m thankful for this miracle, because we are all together and we have overcome the pandemic),” Martin said in a video he posted on Inatagram.

He exhorted co-devotees never to give up on their dreams and always to have steadfast faith in God.

MARTIN exhorted co-devotees never to give up on their dreams and always to have steadfast faith in God.
Coco Martin with the Black Nazarene.

“Sa lahat ng mga Pilipino, isa lang: ‘Wag kayong mapapagod at magsasawang mangarap. Sa pagdarasal at pananalig natin sa ating mga Panginoon, sa ating Panginoong Diyos, sa ating Ama, sa ating Mahal na Birhen, palagi [nila] tayong naririnig — at hinding hindi [nila] tayo bibiguin (To all Filipinos, I ask only one thing: Never get tired and never stop dreaming. In our prayers and our faith in the Lord, our God, our Father and our beloved Virgin Mary, they always hear our prayers and they will never disappoint us),” he said.

Martin has been devotee of the Black Nazarene since 2007. Despite the Traslacion’s suspension for three years, the actor still participated in the “Pagpupugay,” “Walk of Faith” and the hourly Masses observed in honor of the Black Nazarene in the previous years.

On the same day he rejoined the Traslacion, the 42-year-old actor celebrated the upcoming first anniversary of his hit action series FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.

Martin uploaded a video on Instagram where he and his team happily shared their anniversary greeting: “Happy Anniversary Batang Quiapo! Mula po sa akin at sa bumubuo ng FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, maraming maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!”

In another post, he thanked the Black Nazarene for His eternal guidance.

“Maraming Maraming Salamat po Mahal na Poong Hesus Nazareno sa inyong gabay sa aming lahat,” he wrote. “Happy Anniversary, Batang Quiapo!”