Black Nazarene motorcade to be held on Good Friday –Quiapo Church

The procession of the Black Nazarene on Good Friday, April 15, will be conducted through a motorcade that will follow the same route as the Traslacion, an official of the Quiapo Church said on Sunday.

“Lalabas ang Nazareno sa Biyernes Santo pero motorcade ang Nazareno. Hindi po ito hihilahin o maglulubid. Hindi ito sasampahan ng mga hijos o ng mga deboto. Sana maintindihan ng mga deboto na pupunta sa Biyernes,” Quiapo Church parochial vicar Fr. Douglas Badong said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(The Black Nazarene will come out on Good Friday but it will be via motorcade. It will not be pulled using a rope by devotees. Hijos or devotees are also not allowed to hop on the motorcade. I hope they will understand this on Friday.)

He noted that the route of the Black Nazarene motorcade would be the same as the route normally used during the Traslacion.

The Traslacion is the Catholic faithful's annual religious event involving the traditional procession of the Black Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand back to Quiapo Church.

“12 midnight ang alis sa Quiapo Church. Lahat ay dapat naka-face mask na sasama sa motorcade at dini-discourage natin ‘yung naka-paa,” Badong reminded devotees.

(The Black Nazarene will depart from the Quiapo Church at midnight. Everyone who will join the motorcade must wear a face mask and we discourage them from going barefoot.)

This year’s traditional Traslacion was canceled for the second consecutive year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Badong then explained that the Quiapo Church had resumed most of its activities, particularly for the Holy Week. These activities had been halted for over two years since the onset of COVID-19.

“Magkakaron ng Senakulo ang mga kabataan. Sa muling pagkakataon, makakapagpalabas na sila ulit under the new normal kasi nga tinitiyak natin ‘yung kaligtasan nila,” he added.

(The youth will lead a Senakulo. They will be able to perform again, now under the new normal because we need to ensure their safety.)

However, despite the National Capital Region now under an Alert Level 1, he said that the Quiapo Church in Manila was still not implementing a 100% capacity.

The Quiapo Church on Friday announced it now allowed devotees to once again touch the image of the Black Nazarene.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said they discouraged the kissing of altars and crucifixions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They also urged churches to temporarily discontinue the practice for the time being.

The observance of the Holy Week starts on April 10, Palm Sunday, and ends on Easter Sunday, April 17. — DVM, GMA News