Feast of the Black Nazarene
The Feast of the Black Nazarene (Filipino: Pista ng Itím na Nazareno), also known as the Traslación after the mass procession associated with the feast, is a religious festival held in Manila, Philippines that is centered around the Black Nazarene, an image of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated annually on January 9. = The Feast of the Black Nazarene commemorates the anniversary of the translation or the transfer of the image from its original location at a church in modern-day Luneta Park, to Quiapo. The image was brought to the Church of San Juan Bautista in Bagumbayan, now Luneta, until May 31, 1606, by Augustinian Recollect priests. In 1608, the icon was enshrined at the Recollect church of San Nicolás de Tolentino in Intramuros. It was moved to the Saint John the Baptist Church, which is now commonly referred to as the Quiapo Church, on January 9, 1787. The "solemn transfer" eventually became the date of the Feast of the Black Nazarene. = = There are opposing views on whether to consider the Feast of the Black Nazarene as a proper fiesta due to the fact that the January 9 observance celebrates the transfer of the image and not the liturgical "feast day" of the image. The proper liturgical commemoration of the Black Nazarene is on Good Friday. In 2021, the Basilica's former parochial vicar Douglas Badong explained that the Feast of the Black Nazarene is a proper term for the religious event, and could be called a fiesta as the event is similar to the typical Filipino festival. The event is colloquially referred to as "Nazareno" after the image itself, or the Traslación after the January 9 procession. The word “Traslación” is often corrupted to the incorrect "translacion". = The fesitivities begin with a thanksgiving procession usually held in the late evening of December 30 before the start of its novena the following day, New Year's Eve. = The Pahalík ("kissing") is usually done a day or a few days before the actual start of the procession at the Quirino Grandstand. Devotees form long lines outside the Grandstand, waiting for hours to be able to touch the image of the Black Nazarene. The wiping of cloth on the image, which is also done during the actual procession itself, follows the folk belief that cloth can absorb the powers of a holy object, usually and specifically its curative abilities. This sanctity-through-contact descends from the ancient custom of ex brandea, cloth wiped on the bodies or tombs of the Twelve Apostles, itself part of the wider category of third-class relics. = The main highlight of the Feast of the Black Nazarene is the Traslación, taken from the Spanish term for "passage" or "movement". Every January 9, the Traslación of the Black Nazarene, commemorating the "solemn transfer" of the image's copy from San Nicolás de Tolentino in Intramuros to Quiapo, makes its way along the streets of Quiapo, with attendees reaching up to 6.5 million devotees. In recent years a persistent misconception has the Traslación being repeatedly referred to, by the media as well as unscrupulous politicians, as mostly the "Feast of the Black Nazarene" (Pistá ng Itím na Nazareno), and sometimes the "Feast of Quiapo" (Pistá ng Quiapo), which despite the chaotic yet festive atmosphere are far from correct: the Black Nazarene's liturgical commemoration is on Good Friday (the second date of the year on which the image is processed). The basilica's parochial feast day, meanwhile, is on June 24 (concurrent with Manila Day) – the birthday of its titular, John the Baptist. In recent years, the processional route was altered due to a rise in accidents, to afford other neighborhoods off the traditional route a chance to participate, and because of structural deficiencies in nearby bridges. It is normally only a school holiday for the schools near the processional route, but for the first time in the city's history, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada in 2014 declared the day a special non-working holiday due to the impassability of some thoroughfares and projected congestion in others. His successors as City Mayor kept the practice. In 2024, President Bongbong Marcos reaffirmed the status of the day as a city-wide holiday. As per custom, the Black Nazarene leaves the Minor Basilica a day or two before the annual procession, either in a public fashion or clandestinely. Since 2016, the procession begins at around 05:30 AM PST (GMT+8) after a solemn midnight High Mass (Filipino: Misa Mayor) at the Quirino Grandstand presided by the Archbishop of Manila, followed hours later by the Morning Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. It ends in Quiapo in late night of the same day or early the following morning, depending on how long the image has travelled. Some participants choose to wait for the image inside the Minor Basilica to greet it, while most devotees walk throughout the whole processional route. All devotees wear maroon and yellow like the image, and they walk barefoot as a form of penance and in emulation of Christ's walk to Golgotha. Authorities estimate that over 500,000 devotees strode barefoot in the 2013 procession, which whole almost week long event was attended by 9 million people. Attendees include families of devotees, tourists, and members of devotees' associations throughout the country and overseas, all carrying their long estandartes (religious gonfalon) usually coloured maroon or white and embroidered in gold and emblazoned with the image and the association name. The Black Nazarene is processed upon the Ándas, and traditionally only men were permitted to be mamámasán ("bearers"), the devotees pulling the wheeled ándas by its two large ropes. In recent years, female mamámasán have been allowed to participate, with pregnant women barred for safety reasons. There is also the custom of vying to touch the Kanang Balikat, or the rope to the side of the image's right shoulder. Folk belief holds it to possesses great sanctity, as it is closer to imitating the image bearing the Cross. Marshals from the Minor Basilica, known as the Hijos del Nazareno ("Sons of the Nazarene"), form an honor guard around the image, and are the only people permitted to ride the ándas for the duration of the Traslación. The Hijos – distinguishes from maroon-clad devotees by their yellow and white shirts – have the primary task of protecting the icon from damage and directing the mamámasán in front and behind using hand gestures, voice commands (sometimes through a megaphone), and whistle signals. In addition, they help devotees clamber up onto the ándas to briefly touch the icon's cross, and wipe the image with cloths tossed at them. From 2021 to 2023, the annual Traslación was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resorting instead to alternatives like Padungaw ("viewing") of the Black Nazarene and hourly Masses at Quiapo Church. However, in 2022, Masses were held behind closed doors due to a huge spike of COVID-19 cases brought by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, resorting devotees to attend online. An alternative procession, known as the "Walk of Faith", was held on January 8, 2023, with an estimated 88,000 devotees joining the procession. After a long hiatus, the Traslación returned in 2024. A new design of the ándas, built by Sarao Motors, was unveiled for that year's procession, featuring the image enclosed in a thick tempered and laminated glass, onboard lights for illumination at night, a sound system, and a built-in CCTV camera. Despite prohibitions from organizers and authorities against climbing the ándas, many still climbed on it as part of their devotion, believing that it would bring miracles. La Mirata or the Dungaw Rite The traditional Dungaw, a Tagalog calque of the rite's Spanish name Mirata, "to see" or "to view", involves the Black Nazarene, coming from Hidalgo Street, being made to stop briefly at Plaza del Carmen, a square along the southwest flank of the neo-Gothic Basílica Menor de San Sebastián, before proceeding towards Bilibid Viejo Street. The rite, which was discontinued in the early 1900s for still-unknown reasons, was revived and reincorporated into the Traslación on January 9, 2014, after the discovery of old documents attesting to its practice. The resident Recollect priests remove the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel from the principal niche of the retablo mayor, or use a replica which is termed its vicária. The image is dressed in its primera vestida, used only on the most solemn occasions, in its camarín, or private chamber. Only Augustinian nuns and other women may enter the camarín at this point. Men, including priests, all exit as they are forbidden from watching the Virgin "change clothes". During the entire vesting process, the rosary is recited. Once fully dressed in precious robes and regalia, the original image, which was given to the Recollects in 1617 by a Carmelite nunnery in Mexico City, is then solemnly and silently processed on its own small ándas to a temporary scaffold erected at the southwest face of the church. There, it is lifted up by several priests and attendants to "see" and "meet" the Black Nazarene as devotees fall silent. A Gospel lesson is followed by general intercessions, and several prayers (often the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary), are chanted fervently. The Basilica's bells are rung throughout the short prayer service. The presiding priests then shout "¡Viva Jesús Nazareno!" to which the crowd replies "¡Viva!" and "¡Viva Virgen del Carmen!" to which the customary reply is "¡Guapa!"; this cheer is done thrice. Shortly thereafter, the priests slowly turn the Virgin's image so that it "watches" the Black Nazarene and its procession depart the vicinity of Plaza del Carmen. The image of the Virgin is then returned to the high altar, or the replica returned to its proper place, while the choir sings the devotional hymn Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno. Theologically, the Dungaw rite reflects the fourth Traditional Station of the Cross, where Christ meets his Mother, the Virgin Mary, en route to Golgotha, and reflects the closeness of Christ and his Mother. The rite is also seen as a "courtesy" of the Virgin's image towards the Black Nazarene, as the former's shrine is along the processional route. Injuries and casualties The Traslación is also notorious for the casualties that result from the jostling and congestion of the crowds pulling the ándas. The injuries and even deaths of devotees are brought upon by one or several factors including heat, fatigue, or being trampled upon by the crowd. Length The 2012 Traslación is currently the longest in the image's recorded history. It ended 22 hours after leaving the Grandstand, arriving at Plaza Miranda around 05:15 AM PST on January 10. The procession took longer than usual since the wheels of the ándas broke early on at a point near Manila Hotel, while the rope broke some distance away near Liwasang Bonifacio. There were also reports of groups of devotees diverting the image from the previously defined route in order to pass by business establishments outside the traditional route. This illicit act was done to allow homes and businesses off the planned route to receive the good luck and blessings of the image. The same duration was also recorded for the 2017 and 2018 Traslacións. Meanwhile, the 2007 Traslación (the first to be held there for the occasion of the "400th Traslación", as previous processions were only held around the district of Quiapo) was the fastest procession in history, which only took nine hours before arriving back at Quiapo Church. Following new measures and a route change in 2020, which decreased the length of the procession by 300 meters (980 ft) by passing through Ayala Bridge instead of the usual Jones Bridge (2014–2019) or the traditional MacArthur Bridge (used 2007, 2009–2013), the 2020 procession took sixteen hours and thirty-four minutes, the third-fastest in history, an improvement from the recorded time of twenty-one hours in 2019. This was further shortened to fourteen hours, fifty-nine minutes, and ten seconds in 2024, with the introduction of the new ándas. Crowd participation The Quiapo Church recorded the attendance of 6,532,501 devotees within a 13-hour period of the 2024 procession, about at least a fifth of them at the church; in one of the biggest crowds in the religious festival's history. Red vestments are used for the Feast of the Black Nazarene. In the absence of a national liturgical directive for the feast day, the decision to celebrate the feast was up to the parishes and communities. As such, in 2024, the Archdiocese of Manila has proposed to the Holy See to declare January 9 as the "national feast of the Black Nazarene". The Liturgy of the Word for the Black Nazarene Masses is similar to the ones used for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. First Reading: Numbers 21:4b-9 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 78 (77):1-2, 34–35, 36–37, 38 Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11 Gospel: John 3:13-17 To accommodate the influx of devotees, thirty-three hourly Masses were held at Quiapo Church in 2023 and 2024 starting with the first Vigil Mass on January 8 at 3:00 p.m. PHT until the last Mass at 11:00 p.m. of the following day. = Similar processions replicating the Traslación are also held on January 9 in other parts of the country. The largest of these is held in Cagayan de Oro, which uses an official replica of the image given by the Minor Basilica in 2009. It has since become a center for the devotion in Mindanao. On March 4, 2014, a replica of the Black Nazarene from Quiapo Church arrived at the Old Chapel of St. Rock the Healer Mission Center, Bishop's Compound, Brgy. Cawayan, Catarman, Northern Samar. Since then, many devotees across Northern Samar came to venerate the sacred image, especially on Fridays. At that time, the said mission center was constructing a bigger church. On January 9, 2015, the first Traslación was held when the sacred image was solemnly transferred from the old church to the new and unfinished church building. Crowds not only from Northern Samar but all over the island attended. On September 12, 2016, the newly constructed church was blessed, dedicated, and consecrated by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. The event was concelebrated by priests from Quiapo Church, Felomino G. Bactol, the Bishop of Naval, Bishop Emeritus Anghel Hobayan of the Diocese of Catarman, Emmanuel C. Trance, the Bishop of Catarman, the Mission Center's first administrator Alan Abalon and Mission Center's second administrator and rector Rico M. Manook. The event was attended by devotees from different dioceses in Eastern Visayas. During the ceremony, the Mission Center was elevated to the status of diocesan shrine, making it the first church in the Visayas to be declared a shrine in honor of this image. On August 18, 2019, the said shrine became a parish, making it the first barangay-based parish in the whole Diocese of Catarman. Its current official name is St. Rock the Healer Parish, Diocesan Shrine of the Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno. = Filipinos overseas have brought the tradition of a procession and Mass honoring of the Black Nazarene image to countries such as Australia and the United States. As in Quiapo, a copy of the image is paraded through the streets or within the parish bounds, with devotees reciting prayers in its wake. In September 2012, a replica of the Black Nazarene was canonically enshrined at Saint Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Parish in Reseda, California, United States. A procession in the United Arab Emirates made it the first Traslación in the Middle East on January 4, 2019, the first Friday of that month. Travel within the City of Manila during the Traslación every January 9 might be difficult as heavy traffic is expected. Most jeepneys use alternate routes for the day to avoid the procession, thus creating additional travel time. Some public rail transport systems such as the Line 1, Line 2, and Line 3 provide free rides to devotees, who are easily identifiable as dressed in maroon and walking barefoot. Traffic rerouting is implemented on the annual procession and the day before, and is enforced by the Manila Police District with reinforcements from the Philippine National Police and, since 2014, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. The Philippine Coast Guard guards stretches of the Pasig River along the Ayala (since 2020), Jones (until 2019), MacArthur (until 2013) and Quezon bridges to ensure the safe passage of the procession. A similar scenario may be experienced by tourists and travellers in Cagayan de Oro and in Catarman, Northern Samar during the yearly processions of the sacred image, as well as in other towns and cities where replica images are brought out in procession on this day.