The Church of San Felipe, on the main plaza, holds the most venerated religious object in Panama: a dark wooden statue of Jesus Christ known as the Cristo Negro, or Black Christ. Carved in the seventeenth century, it is credited with miraculous powers and draws pilgrims from across Central America and beyond.
On the night of October 21 each year, the statue is carried out in procession through the streets in one of Panama's most dramatic religious events. Many pilgrims make the journey on foot, some crawling on their knees; others wear the traditional purple robes of the festival. The procession takes place after dark and lasts deep into the night, with music, incense, and tens of thousands of people lining the route.
The church and statue can be visited throughout the year. The interior is filled with ex-votos — offerings left by those who believe the Black Christ answered their prayers: crutches, photographs, purple robes. The statue itself stands on an ornate platform at the front of the nave. On ordinary days the church is quiet; the contrast with October 21 is extraordinary.