The revered Black Nazarene returned to its abode at Quiapo Church after a grand procession that lasted nearly 15 hours, one of the longest and most attended in its history. The iconic image, housed in a glass-encased carriage, commenced its journey from Quirino Grandstand at 4:45 a.m. and concluded at 7:44 p.m., marking a total duration of 14 hours, 59 minutes and 10 seconds. This procession, known as Traslacion, attracted a staggering 6.5 million devotees, making it one of the largest crowds to ever participate in this annual religious festival.
The procession was meticulously monitored by the Quiapo Church Command Post, which confirmed the total duration of the event. The Traslacion, a significant religious observance in the Philippines, celebrates the Feast of the Black Nazarene, a 400-year-old image of Jesus Christ. This year’s procession was notably significant as it marked the return of the traditional Traslacion after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the previous year, a Walk of Faith was organized to honor the feast without the customary grand procession.
The Philippine National Police observed that the movement of the andas, the carriage carrying the Black Nazarene, was faster compared to previous years. The event saw the image of the Black Nazarene encased in laminated tempered glass for the first time, adding a unique aspect to this year’s procession. The attendance figures, as reported by Quiapo Church, were 6,532,501 devotees from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., reflecting the deep devotion and faith of the Filipino people in this venerable tradition.