Nazareno fever

2.8 M join traslacion after 3-year hiatus

- EMMANUEL TUPAS & GHIO ONG

An estimated 2.8 million Catholic faithful attended the traslacion of clo or the procession of the Black Nazarene yesterday in Manila, where by the feverish march displaying religious devotion resumed after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Black Nazarene devotees gathered at the Quirino Grandstand to hear the midnight mass or Misa Mayor for the Feast of the Black Nazarene, 1 celebrated by Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula.

Before 4:45 a.m. yesterday, members of the Hijos del Nazareno removed the massive yellow cloth that covered the andas or carriage of the revered image, now enclosed in glass and surrounded by around 20 HDN members to prevent devotees from climbing onto the image.

The carriage started its journey back to Quiapo Church immediately after the mass. The crowd, mostly wearing maroon and yellow shirts, quickly swarmed around it as it exited the grandstand, waving and throwing their towels and handkerchiefs and shouting “Viva!”

Meanwhile, another statue of the Black Nazarene was left in the stage of the Quirino Grandstand for the “pahalik” or the public veneration, where people lined up to get a chance for up-close touching and wiping of handkerchiefs.

At 5 a.m., the Quiapo Church Command Post estimated the crowd size at the Quirino Grandstand to be at 1.34 million.

By 5:20 a.m., the andas reached the intersection of Roxas Boulevard and Padre Burgos Avenue in Manila. Rainshowers did not dampen the determination of the believers to get close to the carriage.