A calmer Quiapo church is seen here a day before the Feast of the Black Nazarene where devotees hold the traditional Traslacion. INQUIRER.net photo / Zeus Legaspi
MANILA, Philippines — More than 50,000 estimated number of devotees have already participated in the Feast of the Black Nazarene a day before the Traslacion procession, said the organizers at Quiapo Church.
Based on data provided by the Church, 23,725 devotees have been recorded in Quiapo from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m, where the feast-related masses had been being held.
Meanwhile, 30,910 devotees have been recorded at Rizal Park’s Quirino Grandstand from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m., where the image of the Black Nazarene is currently located for the “pahalik” or the traditional touching and kissing of the Nazarene’s image.
The Traslacion procession is slated to begin around 4 a.m. on Tuesday shortly following the vigil of the feast, which begins at 12 midnight at the Quirino Grandstand.
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The annual Traslacion involves the procession of the life-size image of the Black Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church and is expected to take 16 hours to finish.
This marks the first Traslacion since 2020, after being suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions.