Mercantilism penetrates the epicenter of religious activities in Quiapo. The flamboyant, multicolored marketplace outside the Quiapo Church is a scenery of active and dynamic exchange between vendors and customers. It exudes an energetic milieu made more remarkable by the display of religious items on sale. As observed by Saludes (Rappler 2015), “Quiapo is known as one of the centers of religious congregations in Metro Manila and for many people living in the district, it is also a center of commerce and businesses especially for small scale and street market vendors.”

          Some religious articles or artifacts available in Quiapo are prayer books or pamphlets (including novenas), rosaries, medallions, stampitas, and holy pictures and plaster images or statues of the Black Nazarene, the Sto. Niño, and saints. The bestsellers among these are the images of the Black Nazarene and the Sto. Niño. The prices of each religious artifact vary from store to store and they depend, ultimately, on the negotiation between the vendor and the customer. Business includes repairs of religious images.

          Before attending the Holy Mass, some churchgoers purchase religious items from any of the stores outside the church. After the mass, the officiating priest calls on the congregation to raise their hands along with their religious artifacts to receive blessing as signified by the holy water.

          The blessing of scapulars, rosaries, and other articles used for religious devotions are conducted by a priest or deacon. There is a short blessing formulary recited during this rite (Catholic News Agency).

          Devotees lift their hands in deep prayer while clasping their rosaries, medallions, prayer booklets, or small statues in great anticipation of the blessing bestowed by the priest. The religious articles, then, become part of the spiritual journey and empowerment of the devotees.

          People recognize Quiapo as “the commercial heart of downtown Manila, the central district where the people’s pulse beats fastest” (Reyes 46). Quiapo, in an era of rapid economic progress, is active witness to the continuous flourishing of commerce, responsible for sustaining livelihood among people who have managed to find for themselves specific locations to perform their businesses. It is a conglomeration of religion and commerce, with the former still intact and unrelenting as the very core of all activities in the vicinity and the latter gaining force through its overwhelming presence in the name of survival.

          Highly perceptible in the locality of Quiapo is the development of commerce as seen in the proliferation of sidewalk vending. Vendors have strategically identified specific corners where they have an advantage of selling their products to as many customers as possible. Their products include religious articles and images, candles, garlands of sampaguitas and everlasting, medicinal herbs, foods and drinks, clothes, shoes, children’s toys and games, household items, kitchen wares, repair tools, and gadget accessories. 

           Indeed, Quiapo is regarded as “Manila’s earthy and spiritual core, where one gets a hands-on experience of the chaos of the streets as well as the folk-animist spirituality of the Filipino” (Reyes 46). Devotees, after praying in the Quiapo Church, find themselves astounded by the numerous items displayed before them by the vendors who are unwavering in showcasing their products to potential buyers. The vendors exert relentless efforts in persuading people to buy their items. Competition among vendors is stiff and sometimes severe for they refuse to back out for the sake of earning even a meager amount. Comparable to a shopping district, the external milieu of the Quiapo Church thrives with a local community that has been an integral aspect of Quiapo’s history and culture.