Nazarene procession lasts 19 hours

MANILA, Philippines - This year’s procession of the Black Nazarene lasted about 19 hours, about the same as in 2013.

The Manila Police District (MPD), however said it moved faster this year since the route taken by the image and its millions of devotees was almost one kilometer longer than last year’s.

“I could say it’s fulfilling because no one died,” said MPD director Chief Superintendent Isagani Genabe.

The procession started from the Quirino Grandstand about 7 a.m. on Thursday and ended before 2 a.m. yesterday.

Based on reports received by the MPD’s radio room, the image reached Bonifacio Shrine near Lawton shortly before noon Thursday. On the other hand, the procession was reportedly near the National Museum at about the same time last year.

Genabe said the procession was generally peaceful except for the unruly crowd that disrupted the mass at Quirino Grandstand and those who defied the procession route for this year.

Thousands of devotees still crossed the weakened MacArthur Bridge – instead of Jones Bridge – despite several warnings that it might collapse.  The bridge was last retrofitted in 1991.

Better coordination

Quiapo Church rector Jose Clemente Ignacio said that with no reported deaths and less than 10 devotees seriously injured, the 409th anniversary of the Feast of the Black Nazarene was “generally successful.”

He added that while more than 1,600 were hurt during the procession, most suffered only from cuts, bruises and exhaustion.

Ignacio attributed the outcome of the procession to the coordination he had with concerned government agencies and organizations such as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Manila City government, Philippine National Police, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Department of Health, Philippine Red Cross and the Philippine Coast Guard.

More devotees

There have been reports that the number of devotees who attended this year’s celebration grew from 9.6 million in 2013 to 12 million this year. Ignacio said he could only speculate on the reason for the increase.

However, at the 10 p.m. mass he presided over at the church on Jan. 9, he asked those in attendance to raise their hands as he listed reasons for the increase in devotees.

Eighty percent raised their hands to indicate they believe that the devotees have requests for the Black Nazarene following the calamities that beset the country and due to poverty, Ignacio said.

Crown not missing

Ignacio denied reports that the Nazarene’s crown was taken. “The crown, as well as the hair, were really removed by the organizers because the devotees could hurt themselves (on the sharp edges of the metal crown),” he said.

He also clarified that the cross was not broken. The top of the cross is “foldable” or designed to be folded since they have to pass under low beams, such as those at the Quinta Market.

When asked about the incident when the image nearly fell to the ground before the procession, the priest said he was not superstitious. – With Rhodina Villanueva