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VIVA POONG HESUS NAZARENO: TRASLACION 2025 KICKS OFF WITH TWISTS AND TURNS OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

Jan. 25, 2025 02:13 PM

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QUIRINO GRANDSTAND, LUNETA – At 4:41 AM, Thursday, January 9, 2025, the much-highly anticipated Traslacion procession gets its wheels on the carriage rolling from the Quirino Grandstand, Luneta, Manila back to the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno. This year’s theme of Nazareno 2025 is “Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22) for those who hope in Jesus”.

This procession registers an exact total of 8,124,050 devotees according to the Nazareno Command Center Operation surpassing the 2024 record of 6.5 million devotees. This year’s Traslacion marks the second post-pandemic procession, which was suspended temporarily for three years from 2021-2023.

 Following the traditional path with modern changes and warnings

In comparison to the 2024 Traslacion procession, this year’s parade of faith takes a different pacing as the movement of the “andas” (carriage) temporarily halts at 5:20 AM at Roxas Boulevard, where an intense amassment of the devotees risk [their] safety and security to get near the carriage, where the revered centuries-old miraculous black image of Jesus, the Nazarene is enclosed in a bulletproof glass.

The modifications of the new carriage are the sunroof made of tempered glass for natural light to shine on the image, also, for greater visibility during its passage. This includes strengthening the stainless metal and the wheels of the carriage. To avoid last year’s glass moisture due to the rain, exhaust fans are installed inside the glass for proper ventilation to keep the image at desired room temperature. The two-inch platforms at both the front and back of the carriage is removed to prevent the devotees from climbing.

As the carriage traverses the traditional routes, the Quiapo church administration, through its technical adviser for Nazareno celebration, Mr. Alex Irasga, places confidence on faster flow and shorter number of hours for this year’s procession from the preceding record of 15 hours (14 hours, 59 minutes and 10 seconds). Yet, it is expected that more people would be climbing up the carriage, where the ultimate goal is to touch, beyond glimpse of, the image and the rope, which serves as an extension of the carriage.

So close, yet too far and tight to handle

Despite strict reiterations and stern warnings on climbing up the carriage, devotees are defiant of the safety and security protocols as they successfully get physically close onto the carriage. Prior to the event, both church officials and Manila government authorities have been constantly reminding the devotees to maintain distance and ensure safety and well-being of the participants in the procession, the devotees ignore these messages as even the modifications proved to be futile, too, along the 5.8 kilometer stretch of the procession.

During the procession, the first rope snaps when the carriage crosses Finance Road towards Ayala Boulevard, while the second rope also snaps near San Sebastian church around 6:40 PM according to the Nazareno Command Center Operation. At that juncture, the carriage is now manually pushed by the Hijos del Nazareno back to the church. Even police personnel cooperated in pushing the andas up until its last destination.

From San Sebastian church, the traditional ‘Dungaw’ rites takes place with the symbolical meeting between the images of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Son) and Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian (Mother) as a form of royal courtesy to the two most venerated images of Quiapo. From the former time of 2:52 PM, this year’s Dungaw happens at 5:45 PM with the procession briefly stopping by at Plaza Del Carmen at the Minor Basilica and Parish of San Sebastian.

Home sweet home: The ‘King’ makes a triumphant return to His home

This year’s Feast of Jesus Nazareno as a national feast for the first time is hailed as another successful celebration with zero fatalities and fewer medical incidents according to Manila local government headed by Mayor Shiela Lacuna-Pangan.

After 20 hours, 45 minutes and 4 seconds, the “andas” makes its way inside the Basilica-Shrine of Jesus Nazareno, where the devotees are exhilarated witnessing the return of the “Hari” (King) to His home, as everyone recited  the “Our Father” (Ama Namin) prayer. The procession ends at 1:26 AM, Friday, January 10, 2025.

– Kidanzac A. Tallada (Shrine & Pilgrims’ Ministry)