By Leslie Ann Aquino
A Quiapo Church official believes the Traslacion or procession of the Black Nazarene this year will be faster compared to last year.
Filipino Roman Catholic devotees prepare to mount on the carriage the image of the Black Nazarene for a long and raucous procession to celebrate its feast day Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019, in Manila, Philippines. Tens of thousands of mostly barefoot Filipino Catholics joined the annual procession of a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ to celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene which usually ends before dawn the next day. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Quiapo Church Parochial Vicar Fr Danichi Hui said this after noting how quick the members of the Hijos Del Nazareno was able to transfer the revered image from the altar of the Quirino Grandstand to its "andas" or carriage for the procession.
"Unlike in previous years, the stage was not mobbed by the devotees," he said in an interview.
Hui said the introduction of the “Devotee’s Pledge”, wherein devotees are asked to promise that they will abide by the rules and regulations of being a devotee, as well as help maintain order during the procession, may have contributed to this since this was recited before the procession may have contributed to this.
"This is one way to calm them down and make the devotees stay where they are. This enabled us to quickly and properly make the transfer,” he said.
The introduction of the prayer stations along the procession route last year was another factor why the procession was able to leave the Quirino Grandstand right away.
"Before it was difficult for the procession to come out because of the huge volume of people here," said Hui.
"Now its not that congested because based on the information we have been receiving, many are just waiting in prayer stations for the procession to pass through there,” he added.
Given all these, Hui said they expect the return of the image to Quiapo Church before 3 a.m. Thursday.
The Traslacion last year ended after 22 hours.