250,000 people celebrate Black Nazarene feast in Cagayan de Oro

Roman Catholic faithful flank the statue of the Black Nazarene during the traslacion at C.M. Recto Avenue on Thursday morning (Jan. 9). More than 250,000 devotees joined the procession in honor of the Black Nazarene. (Jigger J. Jerusalem, Inquirer Mindanao)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Although not even half of the number of people who were in Quiapo, Manila, at least 250,000 people packed the city streets for the traslacion, or procession, of the Black Nazarene on Thursday (Jan. 9).

The devotees were from different places in Northern Mindanao and Zamgoanga Peninsula.

The Nazarene image here was donated in 2009 by the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila to the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene, locally known as Nazareno Church.

On Wednesday (Jan. 8), the image was brought to the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral for a vigil.

The traslacion began at 5 a.m. Thursday, snaking through the major streets of the city and ended at the Nazarene image’s home, the Nazareno Church.

The Cagayan de Oro City police said the traslacion was generally peaceful.

Maj. Evan Viñas, city police spokesperson, said there were no reports of petty crimes, although two persons collapsed during the procession from the cathedral to the Nazareno Church.

“They have medical condition, that’s why they fainted,” he said.

Viñas said more than a thousand police officers, including soldiers, were deployed for security.

The National Telecommunications Commission also jammed mobile phone signals during the procession.

Edited by TSB