The image of the Black Nazarene left Quirino Grandstand in Manila early Tuesday morning, marking the start of the Traslacion.
According to Quiapo Church, the procession officially started at 4:45 a.m.
Part of the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, Traslacion is the procession of the 400-year-old black image of Jesus Christ or Nazareno from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church.
The traditional Traslacion was not held over the past three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of 6:30 a.m., around 700,000 devotees were spotted along the route of the procession, according to the Manila Police District. Around 5,000 were also reported at Quirino Grandstand.Â
Police said the procession already reached Segment 2. The procession has 12 segments.
Meanwhile, as of 5 a.m., around 1.3 million devotees of the Black Nazarene were at Quirino Grandstand and around 40,000 in Quiapo Church on Tuesday morning for the start of the Traslacion, the spokesperson for Nazareno 2024 said.
“As of today po, 5 a.m. January 9, sa Quirino Grandstand nakapagtala po ang ating Quiapo Committee ng 1.3 million,” Nazareno 2024 spokesperson Rev. Fr. Hans Magdurulang told Unang Balita.
(As of today, 5 a.m., January 9, the Quiapo Committee recorded the attendance of 1.3 million devotees.)
“Dito sa Quiapo Church ay as of 5 a.m., almost 40,000 ang naitala natin,” he added.
(Here in Quiapo Church, as of 5 a.m., there were almost 40,000 devotees.)
Magdurulang said they noticed that there were more devotees this year compared to previous years.
They also noted that the pace of the Traslacion is faster on Tuesday than in previous years.
“Kapansin-pansin. Kami rin, nagulat,” he said.
(It was very noticeable. We were also surprised.)
Magdurulang attributed this to the new “andas” or carriage bearing the image of the Nazareno.
“Sinabihan natin sila na hindi na kailangang sumampa… Napabilis ang usad [ng Traslacion],” he said.
(We told the devotees they need not try to go atop the carriage. This made the Traslacion move faster.)
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Around 2 million people are expected to join the procession. Based on GMA News Research data, the last Traslacion in 2020 recorded an estimated crowd of 3.125 million devotees — 2.575 million en route and 550,000 at Quiapo Church.
To secure the activities, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said around 15,000 personnel will be deployed. During the Traslacion, over 5,600 personnel will be initially designated. —KBK/KG, GMA Integrated News
