Is a small Caribbean village that has become the center one of the major religious traditions in Panama: The Feast of the Black Christ. During this festival people come to Portobelo by the thousands. Some pilgrims come walking from far away in return for favors granted by the miraculous Nazarence. Others come on their knees or carrying heavy crosses in penance for their mistakes in life. Each year it is visited by many pilgrims, but those traveling by foot visit only during the week of October 21.
There are many legends surrounding how the Black Christ came to Portobelo. The two more popular versions of the legends are: one that a fishermen found the holy image floating on the waters of the Caribbean and the other claims that an armored Spanish galleon ship was forced to make landfall due to bad weather. The ship carried two images on board; one of a white Christ and another of a black Christ. Each time the boat attempted to sail away with its cargo, it triggered a storm preventing its departure. After several attempts, the Spanish decided to leave the black Christ in Portobelo. When they left the statue of the black Christ their ships were finally able to leave.
Portobelo was also a major transportation for gold from Central to South America to Europe, and that’s why the forts where built and also why there where pirates in this area.
When we drove in to the seaside village, so rich in history, the first thing we saw was the devastating affects of the mudslides on the community, particularity the homes, and the ruins of the forts. We passed by a house where five people where killed, you can see in the house, the devastation of personal property caused by the mud slides of how powerful nature can be at times. The day that the mudslides happened was on the equivalent of mother’s day in Panama. The mudslide happened around noon and came in like a tidal wave tearing apart homes and leaving mud up to the bed frame. You can tell that it was a little girl’s room, because the paint was pink and there were toys near by. These people had no warning and I found my self-thinking what if they had been my family and me. Witness how life can change so quickly made me appreciate everything that I have and made me care more about my family. When we left we passed a mural that was taking place for the five people that had died on this day from the mudslides.
