Traslacion 2024 crowd breaches 1M, Quiapo Church says

The crowd estimate of the Traslacion, held for the first time after a three-year hiatus, has breached the 1 million mark on Tuesday morning as the Black Nazarene carriage continued to move along the crowded streets of Manila.

In a 10 a.m. update, the Quiapo Church reported that 1,008,000 people were spotted along the procession route from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

This was aside from the estimated 60,500 devotees recorded during the same period at the Quiapo Church, also known as the Parish of Saint John the Baptist.

The final count, however, could be higher. Rev. Fr. Hans Magdurulang, spokesperson for Nazareno 2024, told Unang Balita earlier in the day that the crowd estimate at the Quirino Grandstand alone was at 1.3 million.

The image of the Black Nazarene left Quirino Grandstand at 4:45 a.m., marking the start of the procession.

Part of the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, Traslacion is the procession of the 400-year-old black image of Jesus Christ or Nazareno from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church.

Around two million people were expected to join the procession. The Philippine National Police (PNP), however, reported last week that participants at the religious activities ahead of the Traslacion were fewer compared to pre-pandemic figures.

Based on GMA News Research data, the last Traslacion in 2020 recorded an estimated crowd of 3.125 million devotees. Of this number, 2.575 million were reported along the procession route and 550,000 at Quiapo Church.

To secure the activities this year, the PNP said around 15,000 personnel would be deployed.

As of 11 a.m., the Manila Police District (MPD) said most of the devotees were flocking at Segments 5 to 11 of the procession. Traslacion has 12 segments.

Around 12 noon, Quiapo Church said the Black Nazarene image was on Arlegui Street going to Nepomuceno Street. The image already passed 60% of the Traslacion route, it added.

Manila Police District (MPD) chief Police Colonel Arnold Thomas Ibay said the conduct of the procession has been orderly and faster compared to the previous ones so far.

“Okay naman tayo so far. Medyo mabilis lang ang takbo ng andas (We are okay so far. The movement of the carriage was quite fast),” he told GMA News Online.

“Hindi namin masyadong ma-assess (ang andas) pero sa takbo naman niya okay compared to the previous years (We cannot really assess the condition of the carriage but based on its movement it was just okay compared to the previous years),” he added.

Despite the light rains that poured over Metro Manila on Tuesday morning, Magdurulang said more devotees arrived this year.

Magdurulang said that the pace of the Traslacion has been faster on Tuesday compared to previous years.

He attributed this to the new "andas" or carriage bearing the image of the Nazareno.

"Sinabihan din natin sila na hindi na kailangang sumampa... Napabilis ang usad [ng Traslacion]," he added.

(We told them not to climb on board the andas ... The Traslacion moved faster.)

Jonathan Rancho, 52, like many others, was eager to take part in the religious procession, according to a report by Reuters.

"I am very pleased the old system is back and we get to do this again," said Rancho, who traveled with his wife and two children from Bulacan to Manila so they could join the procession.

"I prayed that hopefully this year our livelihoods will get better, I hope that my work would be a success and we be given a prosperous life so I may fulfill my obligations to my family," he added.

Injuries

Meanwhile, the MPD said 38 devotees were injured so far.

“Meron tayong recorded na 38 na injuries. Most of them ‘yung nahilo, nasugatan nang bahagya, at saka inatake ng hika,” MPD Station 3 commander Police Colonel Leandro Gutierrez said in a Balitanghali interview.

(We have recorded 38 injuries so far. Most of them got dizzy, while others got slightly injured, and had an asthma attack.)

Naga City

The Traslacion was also held in Naga City, Camarines Sur on Monday night.

Many devotees took part in the procession of the image of the Black Nazarene from Holy Cross Parish in Barangay Tabuco to Plaza Quezon, according to a report by Cris Novelo of GMA Regional TV Balitang Bicolandia on Unang Balita on Tuesday.

A priest then blessed the replicas of the image of Black Nazarene brought by some devotees to the plaza.

Devotees also lined up for the Pahalik, wherein they could touch a part of the image of the Black Nazarene.

The image will then be taken back to Holy Cross Parish on Tuesday afternoon.

Cagayan de Oro

Up to 7,000 devotees from all around Mindanao traveled to Cagayan de Oro to witness the Black Nazarene Traslacion being conducted in the area.

According to a Balitanghali report by Raffy Tima on Tuesday, the procession began after the image exited St. Augustine Cathedral at around 5 a.m. on Tuesday.

The procession was strictly monitored by police officers, soldiers and other volunteers protecting the security of devotees.

Laoag City

Meanwhile, the chapel and carriage for the local Traslacion in Laoag, Ilocos Norte has been prepared, according to the same Balitanghali report.

Many devotees also arrived earlier for the Pahalik to touch the image of the Black Nazarene.

It is not known why the statue, which was carved in Mexico and brought to the Philippines in the early 17th century, turned black. But a Philippine priest, Msgr. Sabino Vengco, claimed the image is dark through its core because it is made of mesquite wood.

About 80% of the country's 110 million people identify as Roman Catholic, a legacy of hundreds of years as a Spanish colony. —with reports from Reuters and Jiselle Anne Casucian//VDV/KG/KBK, GMA Integrated News