New Andas rope installed after rope breaks on Arlegui Street
The image of Jesus Nazareno is surrounded by a sea of Catholic devotees as they take part in the traditional Traslacion along Carlos Palanca Street in Manila on Friday, January 9, 2026, as thousands of faithful joined the annual procession in celebration of the Feast of Jesus Nazareno, one of the country’s largest religious gatherings. (Photo by John Louie Abrina)
The Quiapo Church said Friday afternoon that a replacement rope has been attached to the Andas, following the earlier snapping of the rope while it was moving along Arlegui Street.
The Quiapo Church said it is currently connecting the new set of ropes to be used during the procession.
The annual Traslacion of Jesus Nazarene officially began early Friday morning, Jan. 9, as the Andas carrying the revered image started its procession from Quirino Grandstand at 3:58 a.m., signaling the opening of one of the country’s largest religious gatherings.
Church and city officials said the Andas moved out noticeably fast, passing through Katigbak Drive as thousands of devotees lined the route in the early hours of the morning.
The procession marks the transfer of the image of Jesus Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand back to the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazarene in Quiapo, a tradition observed annually by millions of Filipino faithful.
More than 100, 000 devotees clad in maroon shirts and barefoot penitents began gathering along the route hours before the start of the procession, offering prayers, waving towels, and chanting as the Andas made its way through the streets of Manila.
Authorities earlier reminded devotees to observe the prescribed do’s and don’ts, including the prohibition on climbing the Andas and the importance of following designated routes, as part of heightened safety measures for Traslacion 2026.
The procession is expected to last 20 hours, with police, medical teams, and church marshals deployed along the route to manage crowd flow and respond to emergencies.
Updates will be provided as the Traslacion 2026 procession continues throughout the day:
Jan. 9, 2025
5:46 a.m. - Crowd estimate as per the Manila DRRMO Along P. Burgos - 95,000
5:59 a.m. - Andas passes through Finance Road near National Museum.
7:58 a.m. - Andas now at Ayala Boulevard near Philippine Normal University (PNU) with an estimated crowd of over 139,000 according to Manila DRRMO.
8 a.m. - Traslacion crowd now at 210,000 according to the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) - Innovation Integrated GIS and Data Hub. The Andas is now passing through Ayala Boulevard near Ayala Bridge at around 8:00 a.m.
9:40 a.m. - Andas is currently making its way to Ayala Bridge, with authorities estimating a crowd of around 350,000, as Traslacion 2026 continues.
11:43 a.m. - Andas is now at Gen. Solano Street, approaching Carlos Palanca Street.
12 p.m. - Andas is now at P. Casal Street corner Carlos Palanca Street, with a running time of 8 hours.
12:40 p.m. - Andas is now at Carlos Palanca Street, drawing around 187,000 devotees, the Manila DRRMO said.
3:22 p.m. - A rope of the Andas snapped as it approached Arlegui Street.
3:00 p.m. - Devotees of Jesus Nazareno participating in the Traslacion now at 645,200 according to the Quiapo Church Command Post.
5:40 p.m. – A replacement rope has been attached after the rope of the Andas snapped earlier while approaching Arlegui Street.