MANILA, Philippines–The ebony statue of Jesus Christ, believed to be miraculous, has started its slow procession from the Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church officially starting this year’s “traslacion” of the Black Nazarene.
After almost two hours since the statue was placed on the “andas” around 6 a.m., barefooted devotees were finally able to grab the rope connected to the statue.
From the Quirino Grandstand, the Black Nazarene is set to move to Katigbak Drive.
The procession of the Black Nazarene feast, also known as the “Traslacion,” is attended by millions of devotees, making it one of the world’s largest gatherings.
Devotees, frocked in maroon and yellow shirts, waved their handkerchiefs bearing Christ’s face as they attempted to go near the ebony statue and wipe it with their towels.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle started the morning prayer before the crowd of faithful devotees.
At least 3,500 policemen are deployed to secure traslacion.
The feast involved moving a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ to Quiapo Church.
Two hours since the statue was placed on the “andas,” the rope was rolled out, starting the Black Nazarene’s slow journey from the Quirino Grandstand back to the Quiapo Church in Manila. MARC CAYABYAB/INQUIRER.net
The ebony-colored statue of Jesus was brought to Manila by Augustinian priests in 1607. It is said that it got its color after it got burnt in a fire that hit the Spanish galleon carrying it.
The procession commemorates the first parade transferring the statue from a church in Intramuros to Quiapo Church on January 9, 1767.
The church expects 10 million devotees this year. The parade in 2014 was attended by 3 million devotees.
The parade lasted for 19 hours in 2014, 18 hours in 2013, and 22 hours in 2012.
This year’s feast will go through the recently retrofitted Jones Bridge instead of MacArthur Bridge, with authorities saying the latter could no longer handle the bulk of devotees.
The procession will also no longer pass through Escolta because of a fire that hit the old Universidad de Manila building there. Instead, it will take the parallel Dasmariñas street.
The Traslacion is held just a week before the visit of Pope Francis in the country. He is expected to visit the victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”
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