There will be no “Traslacion” of the Black Nazarene in January next year amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Manila city government confirmed Friday morning.

Devotees carry the image of the Black Nazarene to a carriage while others wave white hankies during the annual religious procession in Manila on January 9, 2015.
(TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images)

The decision was made in a meeting between Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and Quiapo Church officials on Thursday afternoon. With the cancellation of the Traslacion, the Quiapo Church on Friday bared alternative plans to celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2021.

Instead of a procession, Quiapo Church rector Monsignor Hernando Coronel said more masses will be held for the devotees.

“Hahabaan natin ang nobinaryo. Lahat ng misa dito sa Quiapo ay magiging misa-nobena para sa kapistahan ng Nazareno. Oras-oras po ‘yan (We’ll have longer novenas. All of the masses held in Quiapo Church will be a novenary mass for the Feast of the Black Nazarene. It will be conducted hourly),” Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene Parochial Vicar Fr. Douglas Badong told DZMM in an interview.

Badong said the Quiapo Church will “localize” the annual celebration by encouraging churches from various parts of the Philippines to hold novena masses for the Feast of the Black Nazarene as well.

In areas where there are fewer COVID-19 cases, Badong said churches may conduct their own motorcade or procession. “Mas mararamdaman ng mga tao ang presensya ng Poong Hesus Nazareno lalo na’t higit ang mensahe niya para sa pagdiriwang ng kapistahan (The people will feel the Black Nazarene’s presence even more, especially His message for the celebration of the feast),” Fr. Badong said.

More monitors

More monitors will also be set up in entry points of the Quiapo Church so devotees can watch the masses through the screens, according to Badong.

“Maglalagay kami sa paligid para di sila siksikan sa loob ng Quiapo (We will set up monitors around the church so that the church will not be congested),” the priest said.

Image of Black Nazarene Badong said the church is also eyeing to display the image of the Black Nazarene as early as December so devotees can get a glimpse of it.

“Ang pinaka imahen ay ilalabas namin para makita po ito ng mga tao, di lang nila mahahawakan, pero at least makikita po nila (We will put the image of the Black Nazarene on display, but devotees will not be allowed to touch it, but at least they are able to see it),” the priest said. Badong said the church is also adjusting other schedules for the celebration such as the blessing of the replicas.

The parochial vicar said the blessing might be done earlier than usual.

No to barefoot

Another tradition that devotees might have to put on hold this year is walking barefoot for the feast. Badong discouraged devotees from going barefoot due to the possibility of droplets sticking to their feet.

For devotees who cannot go to Quiapo Church, Badong said they are planning to bring images of the Black Nazarene around churches north and south of Manila.

“From Batangas pabalik ng (and back to) Quiapo, from Pangasinan pabalik ng (and back to) Quiapo,” Badong said.

“May tatlong imahen po ang iikot sa iba’t-ibang lugar para maranasan man lang nila kahit isang araw ang novena dito sa Quiapo (There will be three images which will go around churches in different areas so devotees can experience at least a day of novena masses in Quiapo),” he said.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa pagkakataon na narinig ang aming presentasyon para sa Traslacion 2021, at ang mangyayari, napagkasunduan ay hindi matutuloy ‘yung Luneta to Quiapo na may andas na prusisyon. Hindi po matutuloy iyon (We are grateful for that we were given a chance to present our plans for Traslacion 2021, and what will happen is, we have agreed not to push through with the procession with an andas from Luneta to Quiapo. That will be cancelled),” Coronel said in a statement.

“Ang mangyayari po sa January 9 ay patuloy na mga misa, at yung ating mga bikaryo ay ilalagay po natin sa canopy po sa labas ng simbahan (What will happen on January 9 is that we will continue with the masses, and our vicars will be placed at the canopies outside the church),” he added.

Coronel admitted he was saddened by the cancellation of the annual procession, but stressed that the church and the public must adhere to the government-issued health protocols, such as physical distancing and the wearing of face masks and shields.

Domagoso appealed for understanding from Black Nazarene devotees and underscored the danger of holding processions, or any sort of mass gathering, amid the pandemic.

“Nakikisuyo po ako, iwasan po muna natin ang mga parada at prusisyon ngayong may pandemya dulot ng sakit na COVID-19. Maaari pong mapahamak ang ating mga deboto, mailagay sila sa alanganin (I am appealing to you, let us avoid parades and processions now that there is a pandemic brought about by COVID-19. Our devotees might be harmed or put in danger),” he said.

“There are things that we cannot control pero pwede maiwasan. Kung libo-libo ang pupunta sa prusisyon, isa lang sa kanila ang maimpeksyon, tapos magkakadikit-dikit pa sila, pinagpapawisan, nagkakalat na droplets ng laway, delikado po iyan (but we can prevent it. If thousands will join the procession and one of them is infected, then they stick to each other, the spread of sweat, saliva, and other droplets is dangerous),” he added.

The Manila mayor had earlier called on church officials to make plans for the upcoming religious events and asked them to celebrate them in a “conservative” manner in light of the pandemic.

Domagoso also said that he will not allow the Black Nazarene procession to be held should there be no improvement in the country's situation in relation to the COVID19 pandemic by January.

On January 9 every year, thousands of devotees join the parade of the image of the Black Nazarene as it snakes its way from the Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church during the Traslacion.

The procession in January, 2020, the first under the Domagoso administration, lasted for 16 hours, making it the fastest in history.

It was also the most orderly, said Father Badong.

Minka Tiangco & Noreen Jazul

‘Traslacion’ 2021 cancelled; alternative Feast of Black Nazarene plans bared