Quiapo Church revives ‘pahalik’ of Black Nazarene

The Quiapo Church on Friday announced it has allowed devotees to touch the image of the Black Nazarene anew two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

However, Fr. Douglas Badong, the church’s parochial vicar, reminded the faithful to continue observing minimum public health protocols to prevent spread of the infection.

“Devotees may once again touch the image of the Black Nazarene located above the main altar of the Quiapo Church,” Badong was quoted saying in a report from Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

“We appeal to our devotees to queue properly and observe the safety protocols,” he added.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, the church suspended the traditional “pahalik,” an act of veneration of the miraculous image.

Meanwhile, this year’s traditional Traslacion was cancelled, the second year the annual religious event was cancelled due to the pandemic.

The Traslacion is the Catholic faithful's annual religious event involving the traditional procession of the Black Nazarene from Quirino Grandstand back to Quiapo Church. It takes place on January 9.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News