Since Quiapo Church in Manila will be closed during the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9, a Catholic priest urged devotees to just attend Mass online or in another church.
"We encourage devotees to attend Mass online or the nearest church," Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of Quiapo Church, said in a virtual briefing Wednesday, Jan. 5.
On Tuesday, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 issued a resolution saying Quiapo Church will be closed from Jan. 7 to 9 and no Holy Mass shall be physically conducted on the said dates.
The resolution also suspended the traslacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene image and other activities related to it.
Badong said they are prepared to accommodate the devotees when the church opens on Jan. 10.
"We are ready to accommodate them. We will still implement the safety protocols and the devotees follow this," he said.
"We know they are excited to see the Nazareno so we will discuss the possibility of adding more masses," added Badong.