18.9 million expected to join 10-day Black Nazarene feast activities

Almost 19 million devotees are expected to participate in the 10-day series of activities in observance of the annual Feast of the Black Nazarene this year, police said Tuesday.

Superintendent Lucille Faycho of Manila the Manila Police District said last year's crowd of around 18 million is projected to increase by five percent this year or an estimated 18.9 million devotees.

The activities related to the feast started on Dec. 31, 2017 and will last until Jan. 9, 2018, ending with the procession for the Quiapo church's Black Nazarene or Traslacion.

Faycho said that while the Manila Police District is on alert, there have not monitored any threat to the feast.

The crowd count started on December 31's thanksgiving procession, which kicked off Traslacion 2018's activities.

Reverend Monsignor Hernando Coronel, parish priest of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or the Quiapo church, around 40 minor injuries were recorded during the thanksgiving procession.

The thanksgiving procession was immediately followed nine-day novena Masses for the Black Nazarene, which will last until 5:45 p.m. of January 8.

A procession of all replicas of the Black Nazarene from various parts of the country will take place on January 7.

The actual Traslacion will start at 6 a.m. on January 9.

Father Douglas Badong said an estimated one to two million devotees are expected to join the Traslacion, which will start from the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park and end at the Quiapo church.

Meanwhile, the procession route has been slightly changed to ensure a "safer" procession, said Alex Isaraga of the Technical Organizing Committee/Secretariat.

This year, the projected millions-strong contingent will no longer take the Lagusnilad, which Isaraga said poses a threat to the devotees.

The route of the Traslacion 2018 procession, approved by the police, is as follows:

• Quirino Grandstand (Rizal Park)
• left to Katigbak Drive thru Padre Burgos Street
• left to Taft Avenue thru Jones Bridge
• right to Dasmariñas Street
• right to Plaza Sta. Cruz Street
• left to Carlos Palanca Street thru under Quezon Bridge
• left to Quezon Boulevard
• right to Arlegui Street
• right to Fraternal Street
• right to Vergara Street
• left to Duque de Alba Street
• left to Castillejos Street
• left to Farnecio Street
• right to Arlegui Street
• left to Nepomuceno Street
• left to Concepcion Aguila Street
• right to Carcer Street
• right to Hidalgo thru Plaza del Carmen
• lefdt to Bilibid Viejo thru Gil Puyat
• left to J.P. De Guzman Street
• right to Hidalgo Street
• left to Barbosa Street (Bautista Street)
• right to Globo de Oro Street thru under Quezon Bridge
• right to Palanca Street
• right to Villalobos thru Plaza Miranda and to Quiapo Church

There will also be 12 prayer stations scattered along the route of the Traslacion.

Last year's almost six-kilometer long procession, attended by about 1.4 million, lasted around 22 hours, one of the longest in recent history. Church officials hope this year's Traslacion will be shorter.

Badong, meanwhile, said the duration of the procession should not be a problem. He said they are most concerned about the safety of the devotees.

Officials discouraged people with pre-existing health conditions, pregnant women, children, and those under the influence of alcohol from joining the procession.

Among the prohibited items are unauthorized drones, cameras, stoves, and black plastic bags. The public is encouraged to report suspicious activities to police. —ALG, GMA News