By Diann Calucin
Nearly 25,000 devotees swarmed Quiapo Church in Manila on Saturday, Jan. 7, two days before the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
According to the church management, the number of devotees in Quiapo Church reached 24,863 as of 5 p.m., while 6,245 people have flocked to Quirino Grandstand to attend "pagpupugay" as of 4 p.m.
Pagpupugay or the viewing and touching of the image of the Black Nazarene replaces the traditional “pahalik” or the kissing of the image of the Black Nazarene.
The pagpupugay will continue until Monday, Jan. 9.
Meanwhile, additional Philippine National Police (PNP) forces arrived at the Quirino Grandstand to secure the Black Nazarene activities.
Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna also visited the Quirino Grandstand on Saturday morning to inspect the route of the Walk of Faith, the procession without the Black Nazarene image, from the grandstand to Quiapo Church on Jan. 8.