An estimated eight million devotees turned out for this year’s Jesus Nazarene procession in Manila, one of the largest religious events in the Philippines.
The procession began at Quirino Grandstand at 4:40 a.m. Thursday and reached Quiapo Church at about 1:25 a.m. Friday, after nearly 21 hours, according to the Nazareno Operations Center.
The turnout surpassed last year’s procession, which drew 6.1 million devotees and took around 14 hours to complete.
Reflecting on the massive crowd, Quiapo Church rector Fr. Rufino Sescon Jr. said many devotees seek to get close to Jesus Nazarene, believing that His power can affect them.
“The devotees don’t want to let go… but honestly, it is He who does not want to let go of us. He is the one holding on to us,” Sescon said in his homily during Mass on Friday.
“We know He is the first one who never tires, the first one who never gets weary, the first one who never stops to help us, to bless us… and to show us His love,” he said.
Sescon, who is also the bishop-elect of the Balanga diocese, urged the faithful to pray that God’s Spirit “will truly move within us.”
“It would be such a waste if yesterday you clung to the cross, spent 10 hours in the procession, but today you go back to your old ways—getting easily angry, fighting with others, cheating again… what a waste!” he said.
“Just as we hold on to Him, let us also allow Him to hold on to us, so that His power, His life, may live in us,” Sescon added.
The image of Jesus used in the procession is believed to have been brought to the Philippines in 1606 by Augustinian Recollect missionaries from Mexico.
The annual procession, also known as “Traslacion,” commemorates the transfer of the Nazarene image from the church of Recollect Fathers in Intramuros to Quiapo Church in 1787.
Each year, a throng of devotees gathers for the feast to pray, give thanks, and to seek healing and miracles.
This year’s festivities also marked the first year the event was celebrated as a national feast, rather than just a parochial celebration in Quiapo.
