One of Binondo’s legends revolves around the venerated image of the Santo Cristo de Longos.
The story goes that an image of the crucified Christ was found by a deaf-mute Chinese at the site of an old well in the barrio of Longos in Binondo. When the Chinese miraculously regained his speech, the parish priest of the Church of the Hospital de San Gabriel (this church was located in the Parian near the northeast wall of Intramuros) fitted the image with a cross.
The cross was installed at the Church of San Gabriel where it became an object of devotion among the people of Binondo, particularly the Chinese. When the old Church of San Gabriel was destroyed by the 1883 earthquake, the miraculous image was transferred to Binondo Church.
The original image of the Santo Cristo is currently displayed on a niche (with glass cover) located near the side entrance (Ongpin Street) of church of Binondo.
A shrine located at San Nicholas Street in present day San Nicholas district was built on the site of the old well where the miraculous image of Christ was found. The main street of the old barrio of Longos was named Santo Cristo.
