Faster Black Nazarene procession on tap tomorrow

January 8, 2020

Changes adopted by Quiapo Church officials and authorities will be in the spotlight Thursday as millions are expected to form a sea of maroon and yellow devotees for the annual Black Nazarene procession.

In an interview, Quiapo Church Rector Monsignor Ding Coronel said innovations and adjustments in the procession route, formation around the carriage and the level of spirituality will be examined.

"I am praying. Let us see. We have this new approach. Whether it succeeds or not, we will leave it to the Nazareno. But we will try," said Coronel. 

The procession route will now  pass through Ayala Bridge instead of any of the Jones Bridge, Mc Arthur Bridge, and Quezon Bridge, shortening it by 300 meters. 

Th procession will begin at the Quirino Grandstand, left to Katigbak Drive thru Padre Burgos, right to Padre Burgos thru Finance Road (counter flow), left to Finance Road thru Ayala Boulevard (counter flow), left to Palanca St, right to Quezon Boulevard, right to Arlegui St, right to Fraternal St, right to Vergara St, left to Duque de Alba St, left to Castillejos St, left to Farnecio St, right to Arlegui St, left to Nepomuceno St, left to Concepcion Aguila St, right to Carcer St, right to Hidalgo thru Plaza del Carmen, left to Bilibid Viejo thru Gil Puyat, left to JP de Guzman St, right to Hidalgo St, left to Quezon Boulevard, right to Palanca St thru under Quezon Bridge, right to Villalobos thru Plaza Miranda, and ingress at Quiapo Church. 

Organizers said the decision to use Ayala Bridge is because the other three bridges are undergoing retrofitting. 

"It is not our intention to change the route. We only desire to maintain the safety and security of our devotees," said Quiapo Church Parochial Vicar Fr Douglas Badong in a press conference last Monday. 

There will be an "andas wall", where over 2,000 uniformed personnel will be at the front and sides of the carriage bearing the image of the black Christ. 

Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, the acting National Capital Region police director, said police introduced the "andas wall" to speed up the procession. 

"In the past, the procession gets delayed because it cannot move forward. Now we have the police to prevent the crowd (from obstructing the front of the processsion). They can still climb the andas from behind, but not from the front and sides. This is so the andas can move forward albeit slowly," said Sinas. 

Quiapo Church officials said are trying to encourage devotees to make the event more spiritual amid criticism the event is a showcase of idolatry than devotion. 

"We are making efforts to increase the level of spirituality of the Traslacion. This is why we are also asking the public to bring candles when they attend the mass at the Quirino Grandstand or novena lrayer books at the prayer stations," said Badong. 

Mass will be celebrated at 12 midnight Thursday with Coronel being the main presider while Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will deliver the homily. 

The overnight vigil will resume after the mass, and will be capped by the morning prayer at 5 am. The procession of the Black Nazarene is expected to start at 5:30 am. 

Coronel said they expect the number of devotees to surpass the estimated four million last year. 

The Traslacion commemorates the arrival of the image of the Black Nazarene at the Quiapo Church, known as the St John the Baptist Parish in Manila back in 1767.

The image of the black genuflecting Christ with the cross on his shoulder in Quiapo has since gained huge number of devotees in the country.

The Black Nazarene gained international recognition by the blessing of Pope John Paul II of the Quiapo Church as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in 1987. DMS