A crowd of Filipino Roman Catholic devotees raises their hands during prayers to celebrate the feast day of the Black Nazarene on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020 in Manila, Philippines. A mammoth crowd of mostly barefoot Filipino Catholics prayed for peace in the increasingly volatile Middle East at the start Thursday of an annual procession of a centuries-old black statue of Jesus Christ in one of AsiaÅfs biggest religious events. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
MANILA, Philippines — An estimated 430,000 devotees waited Thursday night inside and outside the Quiapo Church for the return of the Black Nazarene’s image.
According to the Manila Police District (MPD), approximately 230,000 people were inside the Quiapo Church while another 200,000 were in the vicinity as of 7 p.m. Hourly masses were held as the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene happens around Quiapo Church.
Police said the crowd awaiting the Black Nazarene’s return to Quiapo Church increased almost four times since 12 noon when around 130,000 people were still gathered in and around the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.
Traslacion organizers have intended to shorten the usually 21-hour grand procession by half and return the Black Nazarene’s image to Quiapo Church as early as 8 p.m.
The Traslacion of the Black Nazarene is one of the biggest annual religious events of Catholics in the Philippines.