Photo by Ma. Consuelo Marquez/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — About 100,000 early devotees on Thursday attended a solemn morning prayer in Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park in Manila ahead of this year’s Traslacion or the annual procession for the Black Nazarene.
Jason Pagayawan, who is a resident of Batangas, had to stay in Quezon City just to arrive hours before the start of Traslacion.
Pagayawan said he became a devotee of the Black Nazarene for five years to pray for the safety of his family, especially his mother who is an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia.
“Deboto ko na po ito (I am really a devotee of the Black Nazarene). Sa pamilya (ko) hinihiling ko po laging ligtas (pati) ang aking ina na nasa ibang bansa, (I am doing this for my family. I am wishing for their safety especially for my mother who is working at another country.),” Pagayawan told INQUIRER.net in an interview.
The devotees, who are mostly clad in red and yellow, brought their traditional white handkerchief which bears the face of the Black Nazarene.
Other devotees stationed tents as they wait for the beginning of the procession.
The morning prayer, which was led by Quiapo parish priest Fr. Ding Coronel, started at 3:50 a.m. while the andas or carriage of the Black Nazarene is expected to leave after 30 minutes which marks the start of the procession.
Prior to the actual parade, the nine-day novena for the Black Nazarene was held from December 31, 2019 and ended on Wednesday (Jan. 8).
Authorities expect that more than 6 million devotees will participate in the religious procession which will start from the Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church.