(Manila, 10th – Comprehensive News) The Philippines’ annual “Black Nazarene” (Jesus Nazareno) religious grand procession (Traslacion) officially ended at 10:50 am on Saturday, lasting 30 hours, 50 minutes, and 1 second in total, setting a record for the longest duration ever.
The Quiapo Church Command Center stated that this year’s procession set a new record, far surpassing last year’s journey of about 20 hours and 45 minutes from the Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church. This year’s procession started at 4 am on Friday from the Quirino Grandstand.
According to Quiapo Church, around 9.6 million devotees participated in this year’s celebration. The Philippine National Police, based on drone footage and on-site crowd assessment, estimated that around 7.3 million devotees gathered across Manila, along the procession route, and in the vicinity of Quiapo Church.
Acting Police Chief Lt. Gen. Nartatez highly praised the dedication of the officers on duty. He said this was the longest procession in history, not only showcasing the unwavering faith and devotion of millions of Filipino believers, but also reflecting the discipline, perseverance, and sense of mission of the police in maintaining public order.
He noted that authorities deployed about 18,000 police officers, including personnel from Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions. Overall, despite the huge crowds, the procession remained mostly peaceful and orderly.
On the other hand, Quiapo Church confirmed that two people unfortunately died during the procession. Quiapo Church’s rector, Father Licuanan, called on devotees to pray that no more casualties would occur, and wished all participants a safe journey home.
He added that the procession stopped briefly at San Sebastian Church for the traditional “Dungaw” ritual, allowing the Black Nazarene to “meet” the Virgin Mary, and also giving volunteers and devotees a short rest.
As of 8:55 am on Saturday, nearly 29 hours after the start, the procession was still moving near Quezon Bridge.
“Black Nazarene 2026” spokesperson Father Arellano stated that, so far, 1,700 injury cases had been recorded, with 29 requiring close observation. He explained that the slow pace of this year’s procession was mainly due to
large numbers of devotees blocking the way of the carriage, some climbing onto the float to seek blessings, and physical exhaustion, which further delayed the procession.
He clarified that the float was operating normally and there was no issue with wheels malfunctioning. He stressed that a comprehensive review would be conducted afterwards to summarize experiences and serve as a basis for improvements in future celebrations.
According to Quiapo Church, around 9.6 million devotees participated in this year’s celebration. The Philippine National Police, based on drone footage and on-site crowd assessment, estimated that around 7.3 million devotees gathered across Manila, along the procession route, and in the vicinity of Quiapo Church.
Acting Police Chief Lt. Gen. Nartatez highly praised the dedication of the officers on duty. He said this was the longest procession in history, not only showcasing the unwavering faith and devotion of millions of Filipino believers, but also reflecting the discipline, perseverance, and sense of mission of the police in maintaining public order.
He noted that authorities deployed about 18,000 police officers, including personnel from Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions. Overall, despite the huge crowds, the procession remained mostly peaceful and orderly.
On the other hand, Quiapo Church confirmed that two people unfortunately died during the procession. Quiapo Church’s rector, Father Licuanan, called on devotees to pray that no more casualties would occur, and wished all participants a safe journey home.
He added that the procession stopped briefly at San Sebastian Church for the traditional “Dungaw” ritual, allowing the Black Nazarene to “meet” the Virgin Mary, and also giving volunteers and devotees a short rest.
As of 8:55 am on Saturday, nearly 29 hours after the start, the procession was still moving near Quezon Bridge.
“Black Nazarene 2026” spokesperson Father Arellano stated that, so far, 1,700 injury cases had been recorded, with 29 requiring close observation. He explained that the slow pace of this year’s procession was mainly due to
large numbers of devotees blocking the way of the carriage, some climbing onto the float to seek blessings, and physical exhaustion, which further delayed the procession.
He clarified that the float was operating normally and there was no issue with wheels malfunctioning. He stressed that a comprehensive review would be conducted afterwards to summarize experiences and serve as a basis for improvements in future celebrations.