Nazareno ‘Traslacion’ leaves Quirino Grandstand

This year’s “Traslacion” of the Black Nazarene began early Monday with hundreds of thousands of barefoot devotees accompanying the revered image of the suffering Christ in its procession from the Luneta to the Quiapo church.

The procession, one of the Philippines’ biggest religious gatherings, began at 5:30 a.m. after a morning liturgy led by Quiapo parish priest Fr. Ding Coronel at the Quirino Grandstand.

After barefoot devotees lifted the image of the Nazarene to its carriage or “andas,” the procession inched forward. At first, some devotees pulled the andas to the opposite direction before it was pushed back to its intended route.

Flocks of devotees attempted to approach the carriage to touch the icon while others scrambled for the ropes of the andas, believing that doing so would grant their prayers.

Organizers warn devotees not to climb the carriage.

“Wala munang aakyat, sasalya po tayo,” an organizer said. (Wait! Don’t climb the carriage! We’ll crash!)

The procession is expected to take 18 to 20 hours before the carriage of the Black Nazarene reaches the Quiapo church.

From the Quirino Grandstand, the image will be paraded through Katigbak Drive to P. Burgos, left to Taft Ave. through Jones Bridge, right to Dasmariñas St., right to Plaza Sta. Cruz, left C. Palanca St., through under Quezon Bridge, left Quezon Blvd., right Arlegui St., left Nepomuceno St., left Concepcion Aguila St., right to Carcer St., right Hidalgo through Plaza del Carmen, left Biliibid Viejo through G. Puyat, left to Z.P. de Guzman St., right Hidalgo St., left to A. Bautista St., right to Globo de Oro under Quezon Bridge, right to Palanca St., right to Villalobos St. through Plaza Miranda, to its last destination, the Quiapo Church.

Every January 9, the 400-year-old Black Nazarene image is paraded through the streets of Manila. The Traslacion commemorates its first parade in 1767 when the image was transfered from a church in Intramuros to the Minor Basilica in Quiapo.

Up to 15 million devotees are expected to join this year’s rites. CBB