Today, devotees of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila will hopefully not make the thick crowds of yore—given the health protocols which police will strictly implement to secure the route during the 22-hour Traslacion that began Friday night.
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 in past commemoration from hundreds of thousands to exaggerated millions of devotees.
The National Capital Region Police office will deploy more than 27,000 policemen in the country’s capital city who will include members of the Special Action Force tasked to ensure peace and order and observance of the minimum health safety protocols amid the threat of the coronavirus which has killed more than 9,000 and infected more than 472,000 since March last year.
The implementation of the minimum health requirements gets to be particularly challenging, given reports on the latest strain of virus which, according to the World Health Organization, is stronger than the original coronavirus strain which had its epicenter in China’s Wuhan City.
Officials have confirmed that police presence will be needed with their deployment in strategic areas in the capital—particularly from the bayside Luneta to Binondo, Santa Cruz, and Quiapo.
The churches along the route, which include Sta. Cruz Church, San Sebastian Church, Nazarene Catholic School and the Quiapo Church, will have Masses celebrated during the Traslacion.
We join police authorities in calling on the devotees to cooperate with them in implementing self-imposed discipline like wearing face masks and face shields as well as the observance of social distancing always and at all times.
For those who cannot attend the feast of the Black Nazarene, Quiapo Church Rector Monsignor Hernando Coronel has underscored that parishes in the Archdiocese of Manila will also have their own festival Mass today, at different schedules, to honor the Black Nazarene.
At the Quiapo Church, the fiesta Mass will be held at 4.30 am, with only 400 devotees accommodated per Mass. Those unable to enter will wait for their turn to enter from nearby Villalobos street 30 minutes before the Mass, with 15 masses scheduled until midnight.
The pernicious pandemic watching with keen eyes, the devotees, we are persuaded, who will attend the Traslacion will be rigorously wary not only of their health and safety but of the health and safety of fellow devotees.
Moreover, we trust most devotees would be enlightened that the Lord would not demand of them to put themselves at risk, or that their faith is any weaker if they simply stayed home and prayed, this year.