Devotees still try to go to Quiapo Church amid Traslacion 2022 cancellation

Several devotees still tried to go to Quiapo Church on Sunday for the Feast of the Black Nazarene amid the cancellation of this year’s traditional Traslacion due to the increasing COVID-19 infections.

“Talagang inaasahan natin despite the announcement, despite the information drive, despite the guidance na walang ano is marami pa ring nagtatangka,” Police Lieutenant Colonel John Guiagui, commander of Manila Police District 3 said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We anticipated that despite the announcement, information, and guidance we gave. Many were still trying.)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday urged the suspension of mass gatherings, including the traditional Traslacion and the Mass for the Black Nazarene, due to the rising cases of COVID-19 infections in the country.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines however said that online Masses would proceed to mark the observance of the Feast of the Black Nazarene even if devotees are banned from entering the Quiapo Church.

“Uulitin ko, hindi na natin sila pinapayagan pa. Kung may makita man tayo, agad agad natin silang pinapaalis. Sinasabihan natin na sabayan na lang nila ang online mass sa kani-kanilang bahay,” Guiagui added.

(We are not allowing them to enter. If we see some, we immediately tell them to go. We encourage them to attend the online masses instead in their own homes.)

Tarpaulins were put up around the area saying that masses will be celebrated online, according to a video posted by Super Radyo dzBB.

Sa ikalawang sunod na taon, Traslacion, hindi isasagawa ngayong kapistahan ng Poong Itim na Nazareno; Simbahan ng Quiapo at mga kalsada sa paligid, bantay sarado ng mga pulis para walang makalusot na mga deboto,#SuperBalitaSaUmaga pic.twitter.com/OHBLmJzvFA

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) January 8, 2022

Police were also deployed to ensure that no devotees could pass through.

However, some devotees instead tried to transfer to the Santa Cruz Church in Manila as roads were closed leading to Quiapo Church.

As of 6:53AM, mga deboto ng Itim na Nazareno, napadpad sa Sta Cruz Church dahil sa mga isinarang kalye patungo ng simbahan ng Quiapo. pic.twitter.com/FtzrX7ZayQ

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) January 8, 2022

In his homily, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula said that while everyone is saddened that parishioners could not personally go to Quiapo Church to attend mass and touch the image of the Black Nazarene, they should not worry as He would visit them in their own homes.

“Hindi man tayong lahat makadalaw dito sa Quiapo, ang Señor naman, Siya mismo ang dumadalaw sa ating pamilya at tahanan. Hindi man tayo makalapit sa imahe niya, siya naman ang lumalapit sa atin ngayon,” Advincula said.

(Although not all of us could visit here in Quiapo, the Señor himself would visit our own families and homes. Although we could not touch his image, he himself would go directly to us.)

“Pumapasok siya sa ating mga puso at pinalalakas ang ating pagasa. Namamagitan siya sa piling natin at pinagbubuklod tayo sa pagibig,” he added.

(He enters our hearts and strengthens our hope. He intercedes with us and unites us in love.)

Advincula asked the people to help each other like what they do in Traslacion, stand with dignity in life, turn away from sin, and live as children of God.

The Traslacion is the procession that carries the statue of the Black Nazarene from Quirino Grandstand back to Quiapo Church and takes place annually on January 9.

Last year, however, the procession was canceled and a "new normal" version gathered only around 300,000 devotees due to quarantine measures.

The National Capital Region is currently under Alert Level 3 from January 3 to 15, 2022, following the sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases. —KG, GMA News