Thousands of devotees flock to the Quirino Grandstand in Manila in the wee hours of January 9, 2025, to await the kickoff of the Traslacion, the climax of religious activities for the annual Feast of the Jesus Nazareno. INQUIRER.net / Zacarian Sarao
MANILA, Philippines — Around 230,000 devotees came at the start of this year’s Traslacion for the Feast of Jesus Nazareno at the Quirino Grandstand, reported the Quiapo Church on Thursday morning.
According to the Nazareno Operation Center, the estimated number of devotees in Luneta was recorded from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m., January 9, the culmination of the annual religious activities for the Nazareno.
The Quiapo Church also reported logging 16,700 devotees that gathered at the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno during the same period.
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The Traslacion began at around 4:41 a.m., as the andas, or carriage of the Jesus Nazareno image, left the Quirino Grandstand to travel to the Quiapo Church.
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Millions of devotees are expected to join the long procession, gathering along the route where the carriage will pass in hopes of even catching a glimpse of the image—although a devotee’s ultimate goal is to touch the statue or at least the rope that pulls the carriage, believing that doing so could bring miracles into their lives.
The duration of the Traslacion varies every year but usually takes hours. In 2024, the Traslacion lasted for 15 hours.