More devotees join Traslacion 2025; 8.12M flock to Nazarene feast

Photo courtesy of Faye Orellana

MANILA, Philippines — The 2025 Traslacion drew over 8.12 million Jesus Nazareno devotees, higher than the number of participants last year.

A total of 8,124,050 devotees joined this year’s procession for the Feast of Jesus Nazareno, according to Quiapo Church’s tally.

Data from the church management showed a crowd of 1,290,590 individuals at the Quirino Grandstand; 387,010 on the processional route; and 6,446,450 in and around the area of the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno, or Quiapo Church.

The Traslacion began at 4:41 a.m. on Thursday, with over 230,000 Catholic faithful in attendance to send off the image of Jesus Nazareno from the Quirino Grandstand.

READ: Nazareno 2025: Traslacion kickoff draws 230,000 devotees

The image finally arrived at Quiapo Church at 1:26 a.m. on Friday, ending the long journey through the streets of Manila and taking 20 hours and 45 minutes.

In a press conference last Friday in the lead-up to the Traslacion, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna said they were expecting roughly the same number of attendees as last year.

READ: Triple the expected number: Over 6.5-M devotees join Nazarene procession

The 2024 procession saw over 6.5 million Catholic faithful join the reenactment of the transfer of the image of Jesus Nazareno from the Quirino Grandstand — which was then Bagumbayan — to Quiapo Church.

The Traslacion is the culmination of the week-long festivities for the Feast of Jesus Nazareno, whose ebony sculpture is believed by many to possess miraculous powers.

READ: Nazareno 2025 to be celebrated nationwide in ‘historic’ first

The 2025 Feast of Jesus Nazareno marked its first celebration as a “national feast,” meaning it was observed in all dioceses across the country.