Filtered By: Topstories
News

Nazarene feast crowd in Quiapo reaches 400K, says MPD


Quiapo crowd reaches 400,000 for Nazarene feast —MPD

In contrast to the "sea of people" in past years, the number of devotees occupying the two main streets leading to the Quiapo Church rose to nearly half a million on Saturday morning on the Feast of the Black Nazarene, the Manila Police District said.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, MPD Director Police Brigadier General Leo Franciso said that so far social distancing was still observed on Quezon Boulevard and Carlos Palanca Street despite the hundreds of thousands of devotees in the area.

“[O]n Quezon Boulevard alone mahigit 300,000. Sa Palanca naman mahigit na 100,000 na,” Francisco said.

“Ang crowd ay sumusunod naman,” he added.

However, the MPD chief admitted that if devotees continue to stream into the area, enforcement of one-meter social distancing rule could be difficult.

“Kaya sabi ko sa control point higpitan na ang pagpasok ng tao. Pakiusapan sila na ‘wag ng pumasok sa area na ‘to [kasi] mahirap na maintain ang physical distancing,” Francisco said.

“Pero ang physical distancing [on] Quezon Boulevard at Palanca [Street] ay nasusunod sa ngayon,” he added.

Moreover, Francisco said the police might close access along the said streets in order to keep the enforcement of distancing.

Francisco also warned that health protocol violators will be arrested, reiterating that barefoot devotees and those who bringing children will not be allowed to enter the vicinity around the Quiapo Church.

Devotees flocked to Quiapo Church even before dawn to line up to get inside the church for the Mass. 

Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of Quiapo Church, said they are complying with the government regulation of 30% limited capacity allowed for devotees inside the church.

Monsignor Hernando Coronel, Quiapo Church rector, on Friday said it would be better for devotees to participate in online Masses or in their local churches on Jan. 9 during the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

"Dini-discourage po namin na pumunta kayo sa simbahan ng Quiapo sapagkat nasa pandemic tayo," Coronel said during an online forum of the Department of Health.

However, devotees still kept coming on Saturday, with crowds reaching as far as the tunnel on Quezon Boulevard.

The January 9 feast day of the Black Nazarene is traditionally attended by thousands of devotees who attend the Pahalik (kissing of the image) and the Mass at Quirino Grandstand in Luneta before the huge procession called Traslacion is held ending at Quiapo Church.

However, this year's Traslacion has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year's huge volume of devotees attending the Traslacion was called by some news reports as "sea of people" not a mere crowd.

 

This January 9, 2020 photo of the Traslacion was taken by Agence France-Presse photographer Ted Aljibe.  —LBG/KG, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT