MILLIONS OF DEVOTEES JOIN TRASLACION 2025 THAT ENDS MORE THAN 20 HOURS

OVER eight million devotees of Jesus Nazareno joined the longest “Traslacion” since 2020.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), as of 1:29 a.m. on Friday, an estimated 8,093,850 people attended the procession that brought the miraculous image of Jesus Nazareno from the Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo church.

The number was significantly higher than 2024’s 6.5-million and 2019’s 4-million devotees.  The number of devotees went on a downtrend since 2019 during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quiapo church officials posted a total count of 8,124,050 attendees in this year’s Traslacion.

At the grandstand, there were 1,290,590, 387,010 at the Central while at the shrine the crowd reached 6,446,450.

This year’s procession was one of the longest in the last few years as it lasted for 20 hours, 45 minutes, and four seconds, according to Quiapo church officials.

The procession, which started at 4:41 a.m. Thursday, reached the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno in Quiapo, Manila at around 1:25 a.m. early Friday.

Unlike last year’s procession, this year’s Traslacion was not as smooth, with the crowds slowing down the movement of the carriage or andas as early as 5 a.m..

At around 5:20 a.m., the flow of the andas paused right at the center of Roxas Boulevard because of the intense movement of devotees who were trying to go near the image of Jesus Nazareno before it moved forward to Padre Burgos Street.

The “andas” was stuck at Padre Burgos Street for more than an hour before it arrived in front of the National Museum of Anthropology by 7:27 a.m.

There were times that the ropes of the carriage snapped while some devotees forced their way to climb the carriage that caused the procession to slow down.

The “andas” reached the Plaza del Carmen at the San Sebastian Church before 6 p.m. for the traditional “Dungaw” or the La Mirata, which honors each patron of the churches.

“Dungaw,” considered as the highlight of the procession, is a rite that represents a religious courtesy between the King and Queen of Quiapo, meeting majestically to guide the faithful in prayer.

The image of Jesus Nazareno has returned to the Quiapo Church early Friday, January 10, ending a more than 20-hour procession.

The Nazareno entered the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno, at 1:26 a.m. Friday.

Meanwhile, other parishes nationwide also held their own masses and celebration for the Nazareno.