The celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene in January next year will be “localized”, a Quiapo Church official said Friday.
“There is no procession but the celebration will push through, but there will be big and many changes in commemorating the feast of the Black Nazarene,” Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, said in a press conference.
He says the plan to localize the celebration means that they will bring the Black Nazarene to different places to discourage the public, particularly the devotees, from going to Manila to celebrate the feast.
“We will localize the celebration of Traslacion…we also urged parishes to celebrate the feast so that the people will celebrate in their areas,” Badong said.
The move comes as mass gatherings remain prohibited under the quarantine restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The initial schedule of the Black Nazarene visits to different areas, particularly in Manila and nearby cities, will start on December 31 at the Hospicio de San Jose; San Lazaro hospital on January 1, 2021; Manila Cathedral on January 2; Greenbelt Chapel in Makati City on January 3; Manila City Hall on January 4; Bureau of Fire Prevention NHQ, Quezon City on January 5; Manila Police District, January 6 and Barangay 394, January 7 and January 8 at the NCS-BEC’s Community, Sto. Domingo Shrine, Quezon City.
It will also visit churches in Southern Luzon: Dec. 30-31 Antipolo Cathedral, Antipolo, Rizal; Jan. 2, Shrine of Padre Pio, Sto. Tomas, Batangas; Jan. 3, San Vicente Ferrer Parish, Binan, Laguna; Jan. 4, San Roque Parish/Porta Vaga, Cavite City; Jan. 5, San Isidro Parish Las Piñas City; Sto. Nino Parish, Signal Village, Taguig City and Jan. 7, Baclaran Church.
On the other hand, Badong said only 30 percent of the seating capacity of the church would be allowed during the Masses on the Black Nazarene’s feast day on January 9, which will start as early as 4 a.m.
“After every mass, there will be an interval of several minutes to let those who have attended the Mass to leave before we will let the new batch come inside. There will be an ample time to let people come in and come out of the church,” Badong said.
The nearby Sta. Cruz Church and San Sebastian Church will also be celebrating masses on January 9 to encourage people to attend masses there instead of Quiapo church.
Also, they will be putting 14 prayer stations within the vicinity of the minor basilica, where people can also pray.
Last January, the traditional ‘Traslacion’ was attended by some 4 million devotees. It was among the fastest in recent history as it lasted for only 16 hours.
In 2019 the procession lasted 21 hours.