In the afternoon of 8 January, groups of devotees start arriving at one of the Philippines’ largest public park, Rizal Park, in heart of the capital, Manila, many came walking barefoot from different parts of Metro Manila and vicinities. By evening, devotees came in droves for the vigil and other activities on the eve of the Feast of Jesús Nazareno, popularly called the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which is marked by the Traslacion, the Philippines’ biggest devotional ritual.

By 12:30 a.m., the crowd was estimated to have reached about 70,000, scattered on streets at the southern part of Rizal Park — Roxas Boulevard, Kalaw Avenue and Padre Burgos Avenue — near the Quirino Grandstand, where the Traslacion procession would start. A large number of devotees were young men but there were also women, toddlers and old persons. Several groups came carrying their standards and in group uniforms. Some also brought their own images of Jesus the Nazarene, big and small. The large ones were mounted on karosas (carriages), furnished with lights and bedecked with flowers, which they stationed on the sides of the streets. A few even mounted a station or altar, complete with sound systems, blaring with “Himno del Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno,” composed by the late National Artist for music Lucio San Pedro. People would stop to have their towels wiped on the images and to pray.

The vigil participants had filled the Quirino Grandstand grounds, which was surrounded by bands of people, queuing for the Pahalik, the touching of the feet of the church’s Jesus Nazareno image. Many have camped out on the streets, where vendors wove their way among the crowd and couple of brass bands went around, performing the hymn. Many people tried to sleep among the growing piles of garbage.

At the grandstand, the Misa Mayor (High Mass) was celebrated at midnight, led by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal José F. Advincula. The program continued, which included testimonies from celebrity devotees such as Dimples Romana, Angeline Quinto, McCoy de Leon and Coco Martin.

At 4:41 a.m., the Traslacion procession began as the andas, the carriage bearing the centuries-old image of Jesus the Nazarene or a replica, was pulled with ropes by devotees, amidst waving of towels and handkerchiefs and lights from mobile phones.

The Traslacion, Spanish for “transfer,” is an annual commemoration and ritual reenactment of the transfer of the wooden image of Jesus the Nazarene, popularly called Itim na Nazareno (Black Nazarene) because of its dark color, from Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park) and Intramuros to Quiapo Church on 9 January.

Made by Mexican artisans, the image was brought to the Philippines by the Augustinian Recollects believed to be on 31 May 1606. It was first enshrined at the Church of San Juan Bautista in Bagumbayan in Manila and then transferred to San Nicolas de Tolentino Church in nearby Intramuros in 1608. In 1787, it was again transferred to its current home, Quiapo Church, which is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and would later be called Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

Over the years, devotion to the image of Jesús Nazareno has prospered, extending from the district of Quiapo to the whole country, and the procession has grown to involve millions of participants. The practice has also seen the melding of Filipino folk beliefs and practices with Roman Catholic faith.

There have been several developments since the time I have written and directed a short documentary, “Poong Nazareno: The Feast and Traslacion of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, Manila” (2021), for the project of International Information and Networking Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO, in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, in 2018 and 2019.

By that time, the procession had become unwieldy, lasting many hours, as many participants jostle to get near the andas, take hold of the ropes used in pulling it and participate in carrying the image, and climb up the andas to touch the image, which are seen as acts of devotion. Devotees who are pulling the ropes or carrying the andas are called “mamamasan,” one who carries or bears on the shoulder.

The vicinities of the andas would be inundated by deluge of devotees, mostly men, dressed in maroon and gold, the colors of the garments of the image. The longest recorded procession is in 2012 with 22 hours and 14 minutes.

In 2018, the event and procession drew more than two million participants, according to the National Capital Region Police Office, and lasted for 21 hours, 54 minutes, while the 2019 procession clocked up 21 hours and 13 minutes, with about four million participants in the Traslacion as well as in preceding events starting on 31 December 2018. Others estimate the number to be both six million in 2018 and 2019.

The 2020 Traslacion lasted for 16 hours and 36 minutes, with about 2,300,500 devotees joining the procession, according to the Manila Public Information Office. A total of 3.2 million participants was estimated.

Traslacion activities were halted in 2021, 2022 and 2023 because of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2023, instead of the Traslacion, the church organized a procession called Walk of Faith on 8 January, following a route similar to the Traslacion’s, but without the iconic statue; drawing about 88,000 participants, according to Quiapo Church; and lasting for more than two hours.

In 2024, the Traslacion was held again, attracting 6,113,598 devotees to its several activities and lasting for 14 hours and 59 minutes. It was also notable for the use of a bulletproof glass case, made by Filipino automotive manufacturer Sarao Motors Inc., to protect the image from damage and zealous devotees. The lower portion of the cross is left exposed for those still wanting to touch a part of the image.

The year also saw several milestones for Quiapo Church and Traslacion. The church was declared a national shrine on 29 January 2024, and Cardinal Advincula decreed that the official title of the church is the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno on 3 October 2024. Quiapo remains to be Saint John the Baptist Parish.

Many refer to the 9 January commemoration as a pista (feast), although the feast day of Jesus the Nazarene is every Good Friday. But on 6 September 2024, during the 38th National Meeting of Diocesan Directors of Liturgy of the Philippines, 9 January was formally declared as a liturgical feast, to be observed in all the dioceses throughout the country and paving the way for the 2025 observance to be a significant one.

“Makasaysayan ang ating piyesta sa taong ito sapagkat sa unang pagkakataon, ito ay hindi na lang piyesta ng Quiapo o ng Maynila, kundi ng buong Filipinas (Our fiesta this year will be historic because for the first time, this is not only a fiesta of Quiapo or Manila, but of the whole Philippines). We call it a liturgical feast. Sa bawat diocese, sa bawat parokya, ito ay kanilang ipagdiriwang (In every diocese, in every parish, it will be celebrated),” said Bishop Rufino Sescon Jr., rector of Quiapo Church, during a press conference on 3 January.

For the 2025 feast and Traslacion, the theme, “Mas mabuti ang pagsunod kaysa paghahandog sa mga umaasa kay Jesus (Obedience is better than offering for those who depends on Jesus),” was adopted. A novena was held prior to the Traslacion, beginning on 31 December 2024 and including a series of activities and events aside from regular Masses such as the Walk of Thanksgiving, visitation to barangays in Quiapo, the blessing of replicas and standards, and the pahalik, the practice of kissing parts of Jesus Nazareno image. Kissing is now discouraged and is instead replaced by touching or wiping with towel or handkerchief.

While the Feast of Jesus Nazareno is observed in other parts of the country and even in a few Filipino communities abroad in the past, 2025 saw more places and bigger observations. Among the biggest were celebrations in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; and Cagayan de Oro City. In Bacolod, hundreds of devotees joined a procession that started at the San Sebastian Cathedral and ended at the Queen of Peace Parish-Redemptorist Church, where a replica of the Black Nazarene image, a gift of the Quiapo Church, is enshrined. On the other hand, thousands were reported to join the procession that started at Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral and ended at the Jesus Nazareno Church. Other areas that observed the feast included Cawayan, Solano in Nueva Vizcaya; Alfonso and Magallanes in Cavite; Capalonga in Camarines Norte; Catarman in Northern Samar; Dumlog, Talisay City in Cebu; Tagum City in Davao del Norte; Davao City; and Amor Cruz, Laak in Davao de Oro.

The biggest observation remained to be in Manila. When the andas left Quirino Grandstand to tackle the 5.8-kilometer route, there were about 230,000 people in the area, while about 16,700 were at the Quiapo Church, where Masses were held hourly.

The procession proceeded to Katigbak Drive, Padre Burgos Street and Finance Road. It reached Ayala Bridge at 10:10 a.m. By noon, it was on Quezon Boulevard, where participants reached over 1.7 million, according to the Nazareno Operations Center. It proceeded to Arlegui Street, Fraternal Street, Vergara Street, Duque de Alba Street, Castillejos Street and Farnecio Street but was delayed because the andas tilted and devotees tried to climb up the andas.

At 5:57 p.m., the andas finally reached Plaza del Carmen and the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian and Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for an important part of the procession, the Dungaw, literally meaning “gaze” or “looking out of the window.” The image of Nuestra Señora del Carmen was brought out into a balcony to “meet” the image of Jesus Nazareno.

By six in the evening, people praying and waiting at Quiapo Church was estimated to be at around 713,600, according to the Manila Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office. At 6:40 p.m., a second rope pulling the andas snapped, delaying the procession. The first one snapped earlier. The andas was now being pushed by participants.

People at Quiapo Church swelled to about 802,600 at 7 p.m., according to the Multi-Agency Coordination Center. It reached 950,600 at 8 p.m.

From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., the procession was around the vicinity of the church, and finally arrived at 1:26 a.m. after 20 hours and 45 minutes. Quiapo Church tallied a total of 8,124,050 participants.

The Feast of Jesus Nazareno and the Traslacion of the image are a compelling demonstration of Filipino religiosity but it also earned notoriety in several ways. Criticisms, which are valid, point out fanaticism and idolatry, violations of rules such as liquor ban, damage to private and public properties, injuries sustained by participants, belligerent behavior, clashes with police, other participants and residents, concern on self’s devotion more than the wellbeing of others, and the amount of waste produced in its aftermath.

Moreover, a group of devotees, the Hijos del Nazareno Central, filed a case against drag queen Pura Luka Vega, for what was perceived as “religious offense,” a performance and self-expression of their own experience and interpretation of religion and not even an attack, leading to the drag performer’s arrest in 2023. The group has participated in already widespread condemnation and active persecution, together with politicians, of a member of a community that has been long been persecuted and marginalized by the church and society, even going against the advice of several priests of showing love and focusing on more pressing social problems.

As the practice grows in magnitude, it is hoped that next phase of evolution for this tradition would be more transformative and edifying, emphasizing the way we live and treat others more than the way we worship, and the Christian values of selflessness, concern for others and love.