MANILA, Philippines -- This year?s January 9 celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene will start a day earlier with a healing mass at the Luneta Park in Manila, Monsignor Jose Clemente F. Ignacio, parish priest of Quiapo Church announced Friday.

At 5:00 pm on January 8 (Thursday), Ignacio said the healing mass would be followed by the traditional ?Pahalik sa mahal na Poong Nazareno [A Kiss for the Black Nazarene]? and the vigil.

A concelebrated mass at 7:00 a.m. the following day, January 9, will be officiated by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, after which the procession of the image of the Black Nazarene will start from Luneta to Quiapo Church at 8:30 a.m., Ignacio said in a statement Friday.

The planned route will be from be from the Quirino Grandstand, passing through Burgos St., McArthur Bridge, Rizal Avenue, Claro M. Recto, Legarda, Arlegui St., Quezon Boulevard, Palanca St., Villalobos, Plaza Miranda, and then Quiapo Church, where the procession is expected to end at 3:00 p.m.

?Upon the request of our beloved Cardinal [Rosales] and Manila Mayor [Alfredo Lim] and for the safety of our devotees, the celebration will start at the Luneta so that we would not be too crowded at Quiapo Church,? Ignacio said in Filipino.

?At the same time, the procession will pass only through the wide streets to avoid accidents,? he said.

And since many devotees from Mindanao might not be able to join the celebration in Manila, Ignacio said the pilgrimage image or ?Callejeron? would just be brought to Cagayan de Oro.

Novena masses, however, began last Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. until January 8 and street masses in Quiapo villages at 7:00 p.m. from January 2 to January 7, Ignacio said.

On January 7, the procession of the Replicas of the Black Nazarene will start at 2 p.m., Ignacio said.

There will also be masses from 4:00 a.m. to 12: 00 noon and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. of January, Ignacio said.

He said this year?s theme of the feast would be ?Poong Hesus Nazareno, lumalapit kami sa inyo sa aming kababaang loob at kahirapan [Our Blessed Black Nazarene, we come to you in all humility].?

Ignacio warned devotees against people, who would reportedly use the church to solicit donations supposedly for the occasion.

?Quiapo Church is not going house to house for donations. If you wish to donate, please go directly to our office where you will be issued a receipt as proof of your donation,? Ignacio said.