Crowds building up for ‘Pahalik’ on the eve of Nazarene procession

Devotees line up at Quirino Grandsrans to just touch the feet and the cross of Jesús Nazareno image on Jan. 8, 2025, the eve of His procession. INQUIRER.net/John Eric Mendoza

MANILA, Philippines — One of the ushers in Quirino Grandstand assigned to guide the overflowing devotees has to remind them repeatedly to just touch the feet and the cross of Jesús Nazareno, then move along.

Maria Ramos Consolacion has to do this as the line for “Pahalik” begins to build up on the eve of the Traslacion procession on Wednesday, stretching to hundreds of meters.

Upon their turn, some of the faithful could be seen closing their eyes while touching the life-sized dark wooden image of Jesus Christ, clad in a maroon vest and carrying a True Cross, which depicts the scene when He was en route to the Calvary for his crucifixion.

READ: Nazareno 2025: ‘Pahalik’ starts ahead of schedule

Consolacion has no choice but to interrupt this moment of the devotees.

“Just touch the image and pray while you walk,” Consolacion can be heard telling the faithful.

As of Wednesday morning, the line of devotees flocking to touch the image and wipe their handkerchiefs—mostly maroon—on it is expected to reach Katigbak Drive.

Millions believe in Jesús Nazareno’s miraculous powers, prompting them  to seek for blessing, protection, and good health.

Among them are the Carpio family, who has been a Jesús Nazareno devotee for eight years.

Jenny Carpio, 37, swears by the miracle of the Jesús Nazareno, saying the healing powers of the image made her nine-year old daughter’s asthma more manageable. 

“She used to be at the hospital all the time, but now she is no longer being admitted,” Carpio told INQUIRER.net after attending the “Pahalik.”

“We will return here until she grows up,” she said of her daughter.

Jenny, a logistics officer from Bulacan, is also seven months pregnant and is asking God for a normal delivery.

Her 68-year old mother Mila is also seeking the image’s reputed healing powers to cure her heart ailment.

At one point, the Manila Police District said there are a total of 37,000 devotees lining up as of 6:00 a.m., but the was reduced to around 8,300 as of 2:00 p.m.

“If they insist on staying [to pray], the line might reach Taft Avenue,” Consolacion told INQUIRER.net in jest, referring to a road a few kilometers away from the grandstand.

“The Señor will bless you anyway if your faith is sincere, so just touch the image,” she said.

First arriving in Manila from Mexico on May 31, 1606, the original image of Jesús Nazareno was carved from mesquite wood by an unknown sculptor.

It was partially destroyed in 1945 during the battle for Manila in the Second World War.

The replica, which was made by renowned carver Gener Manlaqui, used the image’s original head, which could not be touched by devotees during the “Pahalik.”