Feast of the Black Nazarene
Traslación of the Black Nazarene in 2024
Official name	Feast of the Jesus Nazareno
Also called	Traslación ng Jesús Nazareno Traslación del Nazareno
Observed by	Quiapo, Manila,Philippines
Liturgical color	Red
Type	Cultural, Religious (Catholic)
Significance	Transfer of the image ofBlack Nazarene, which is believed to be miraculous by devotees, toQuiapo Church
Observances	Procession of theBlack Nazarene (Traslación),Mass attendance, prayers
Date	January 9
Next time	January 9, 2026 (2026-01-09)
Frequency	Annual
Related to	Good Friday

TheFeast of the Black Nazarene (Filipino:Pista ng Itím na Nazareno), officially and liturgically theFeast of Jesús Nazareno (Filipino:Kapistahan ni Jesús Nazareno), is areligious festival held in thePhilippines. It is also known as theTraslación (lit:transfer) after the massprocession done during the feast. It is centered around theBlack Nazarene, an image ofJesus Christ dating to the 16th century. The feast is celebrated annually on January 9.

The Feast of the Black Nazarene marks theoctave day of the pre-1969 Feast ofMost Holy Name of Jesus (the original dedication ofQuiapo Church).^[1] The octave day is celebrated by the annual procession of the image of the Nazareno along the streets of Quiapo, Manila. It is now considered as the image's national liturgical feast day.

Contrary to popular belief^[2][3] that theTraslación occurred on 9 January 1787, which became the basis of the annualTraslación, no extant historical record verifies the exact date of the image’stranslation from Intramuros to Quiapo.^[4] There is no definite date of the arrival of the image either.^[4] TheAugustinian Recollects assert how upon their arrival in the Philippines in 1606, the Nazareno was not among the sacred images they had brought with them.^[5] Their arrival was also the basis of the erroneous celebration of "400 years" of the Nazareno in 2006, which began the custom of starting theTraslación at Quirino Grandstand. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that the image was already in the Philippines before the mid-17th century, as PopeInnocent X authorized theCofradía del Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno (Confraternity of the Lord Jesus the Nazarene) on 20 April 1650.^[4]

There are opposing views on whether to consider the Feast of the Black Nazarene as a properfiesta since the January 9 observance has been thought as a celebration of the transfer of the image and not the liturgical "feast day" of the image. The annual procession has its roots in the observance of the traditional Feast ofHoly Name of Jesus, the original dedication ofQuiapo Church, withSaint John the Baptist as its actual patron saint.^[6] Msgr.José Abriol, a former Rector of Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, stated the date was chosen as it ends anovena beginning January 1, which according to the pre-1969General Roman Calendar is theFeast of the Holy Name of Jesus and theCircumcision of Our Lord. It has been argued that the proper liturgical commemoration of the Black Nazarene is onGood Friday.^[7] In 2021, the Basilica's former parochial vicar Douglas Badong explained the term “Feast of the Black Nazarene” is proper in the sense of its similarity to a typical Filipinofiesta.^[8] on 6 September 2024, the 38th National Meeting of Diocesan Directors of Liturgy announced the feast would be observed nationwide starting in 2025, as part of the Philippines’ particular nationalliturgical calendar.^[9]

The event is colloquially referred to as "Nazareno" after the image itself,^[8] orTraslación after the January 9 procession.^[7] The word "Traslación" is often corrupted to the incorrect "translacion".^[3]

In October 2024, Quiapo Church officially dropped the word "Black" from its name.^[10] Material for the 2025 festivities also followed suit.^[11]

The festivities begin with a thanksgiving procession usually held in the late evening of December 30 before the start of itsnovena the following day,New Year's Eve.^[12]

ThePahalík ("kissing") is usually done a day or a few days before the actual start of the procession at theQuirino Grandstand. Devotees form long lines outside the Grandstand, waiting for hours to be able to touch the image of the Nazareno.^[12]

The wiping of cloth on the image, which is also done during the actual procession itself, follows the folk belief that cloth can absorb the powers of a holy object, usually and specifically its curative abilities. This sanctity-through-contact descends from the ancient custom ofex brandea, cloth wiped on the bodies or tombs of theTwelve Apostles, itself part of the wider category ofthird-class relics.

Despite the name, kissing the image is prohibited due to health concerns. Devotees instead used handkerchiefs or small towels to touch the image.^[13] In 2021,Pahalík was renamedPagpupugay ("paying tribute"), when devotees were only allowed to look at the image due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.^[14] However, the latter is still used alternatively.^[15]

The main highlight of the Feast of the Black Nazarene is theTraslación, taken from theSpanish term for "passage" or "movement".

Every January 9, theTraslación of the Black Nazarene, commemorating the "solemn transfer" of the image's copy from San Nicolás de Tolentino in Intramuros to Quiapo, makes its way along the streets of Quiapo.Traslación is now the term used for the annual procession.^[16]

In recent years, the processional route was altered due to a rise in accidents, to afford other neighborhoods off the traditional route a chance to participate, and because of structural deficiencies in nearby bridges. It is normally only a school holiday for the schools near the processional route, but for the first time in the city's history,Manila MayorJoseph Estrada in 2014 declared the day a special non-working holiday due to the impassability of some thoroughfares and projected congestion in others. His successors as City Mayor kept the practice. Since 2024,PresidentBongbong Marcos reaffirmed the status of the day as a city-wide holiday.^[17]

As per custom, the Nazareno leaves the Minor Basilica a day or two before the annual procession, either in a public fashion or clandestinely. Since 2020, the procession begins at around 04:30 AMPST (GMT+8) after a solemn midnight High Mass (Filipino:Misa Mayor) at theQuirino Grandstand presided by theArchbishop of Manila, followed hours later by the Morning Prayer of theLiturgy of the Hours. It ends in Quiapo in late night of the same day or early the following morning, depending on how long the image has travelled. Some participants choose to wait for the image inside the Minor Basilica to greet it, while most devotees walk throughout the whole processional route.^[18]

All devotees wearmaroon and yellow like the image, and they walk barefoot as a form ofpenance and in emulation of Christ's walk toGolgotha. Attendees include families of devotees, tourists, and members of devotees' associations throughout the country and overseas, all carrying their longestandartes (religiousgonfalon) usually coloured maroon or white and embroidered in gold and emblazoned with the image and the association name.

The Black Nazarene is processed upon theÁndas, and traditionally only men were permitted to bemamámasán ("bearers"), the devotees pulling the wheeledándas by its two large ropes. In recent years, femalemamámasán have been allowed to participate, with pregnant women barred for safety reasons. There is also the custom of vying to touch theKanang Balikat, or the rope to the side of the image's right shoulder. Folk belief holds it to possesses great sanctity, as it is closer to imitating the image bearing the Cross.

Marshals from the Minor Basilica, known as theHijos del Nazareno ("Sons of the Nazarene"), form an honor guard around the image, and are the only people permitted to ride theándas for the duration of theTraslación. TheHijos – distinguishes from maroon-clad devotees by their yellow and white shirts – have the primary task of protecting the icon from damage and directing themamámasán in front and behind using hand gestures, voice commands (sometimes through amegaphone), and whistle signals. In addition, they help devotees clamber up onto theándas to briefly touch the icon's cross, and wipe the image with cloths tossed at them.

From 2021 to 2023, the annualTraslación was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic,^[19][20] resorting instead to alternatives likePadungaw ("viewing") of the Black Nazarene and hourly Masses atQuiapo Church. However, in 2022, Masses were held behind closed doors due to a huge spike of COVID-19 cases brought by theSARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, resorting devotees toattend online.^[20] An alternative procession, known as the "Walk of Faith", was held on January 8, 2023, with an estimated 88,000 devotees joining the procession.^[21][22] Virtual processions using online game platforms such asRoblox andMinecraft have also been held by youth ministries in lieu of in-person ceremonies due to the pandemic,^[23][24][25] the practice of which still continues in parallel with the actual ceremony after the return of theTraslación in 2024.^[23]

After a long hiatus, theTraslación resumed in 2024.^[26] A new design of theándas, built bySarao Motors,^[27] was unveiled for that year's procession, featuring the image enclosed in a thick tempered and laminated glass, onboard lights for illumination at night, a sound system, and a built-inCCTV camera.^[28] Organizers and authorities prohibited devotees from climbing theándas,^[12] but many ignored, believing that climbing and touching the image would bring miracles.^[29]

Theándas was redesigned in 2025 to include an exhaust fan for ventilation and reduced moisture, as well as an overhead glass panel. Tires used onforklifts were also adopted, in addition to steel tires, and improvements were made to make it lightweight.^[30]

The traditionalDungaw, a Tagalogcalque of the rite's Spanish nameMirata, "to see" or "to view", involves the Black Nazarene, coming fromHidalgo Street, being made to stop briefly at Plaza del Carmen, a square along the southwest flank of theneo-GothicBasílica Menor de San Sebastián, before proceeding towards Bilibid Viejo Street. The rite, which was discontinued in the early 1900s for still-unknown reasons, was revived and reincorporated into theTraslación on January 9, 2014, after the discovery of old documents attesting to its practice.^[31]

The resident Recollect priests remove the image ofOur Lady of Mount Carmel from the principalniche of theretablo mayor, or use a replica which is termed itsvicária. The image is dressed in itsprimera vestida, used only on the most solemn occasions, in itscamarín, or private chamber. Only Augustinian nuns and other women may enter thecamarín at this point. Men, including priests, all exit as they are forbidden from watching the Virgin "change clothes". During the entire vesting process, therosary is recited.

Once fully dressed in precious robes and regalia, the original image, which was given to the Recollects in 1617 by aCarmelite nunnery inMexico City, is then solemnly and silently processed on its own smallándas to a temporary scaffold erected at the southwest face of the church. There, it is lifted up by several priests and attendants to "see" and "meet" the Black Nazarene as devotees fall silent. A Gospel lesson is followed by general intercessions, and several prayers (often theLord's Prayer and theHail Mary), are chanted fervently. The Basilica's bells are rung throughout the short prayer service.^[32]

The presiding priests then shout "¡Viva Jesús Nazareno!" to which the crowd replies "¡Viva!" and "¡Viva Virgen del Carmen!" to which the customary reply is "¡Guapa!"; this cheer is done thrice. Shortly thereafter, the priests slowly turn the Virgin's image so that it "watches" the Black Nazarene and its procession depart the vicinity of Plaza del Carmen. The image of the Virgin is then returned to the high altar, or the replica returned to its proper place, while the choir sings the devotional hymnNuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.^[33]

Theologically, theDungaw rite reflects the fourthTraditional Station of the Cross, where Christ meets his Mother, theVirgin Mary, en route to Golgotha, and reflects the closeness of Christ and his Mother. The rite is also seen as a "courtesy" of the Virgin's image towards the Black Nazarene, as the former's shrine is along the processional route.

The 2012Traslación is currently the longest in the image's recorded history. It ended 22 hours after leaving the Grandstand, arriving at Plaza Miranda around 05:15 AM PST on January 10. The procession took longer than usual since the wheels of theándas broke early on at a point nearManila Hotel, while the rope broke some distance away nearLiwasang Bonifacio. There were also reports of groups of devotees diverting the image from the previously defined route in order to pass by business establishments outside the traditional route. This illicit act was done to allow homes and businesses off the planned route to receive the good luck and blessings of the image.^[34] The same duration was also recorded for the 2017 and 2018Traslacións.^[35][36]

Meanwhile, the 2007Traslación (the first to be held there for the occasion of the "400th Traslación", as previous processions were only held around the district ofQuiapo) was the fastest procession in history, which only took nine hours before arriving back at Quiapo Church.^[37] Following new measures and a route change in 2020, which decreased the length of the procession by 300 meters (980 ft) by passing throughAyala Bridge instead of the usualJones Bridge (2014–2019) or the traditionalMacArthur Bridge (used 2007, 2009–2013), the 2020 procession took sixteen hours and thirty-four minutes, the third-fastest in history,^[38] an improvement from the recorded time of twenty-one hours in 2019.^[39] This was further shortened to fourteen hours, fifty-nine minutes, and ten seconds in 2024, with the introduction of the newándas.^[40] Despite using the same route andándas, the 2025 procession took 20 hours and 45 minutes to complete after the two ropes broke during the procession.^[41]

TheTraslación is notorious for the casualties that result from the jostling and congestion of the crowds pulling theándas. The injuries and even deaths^[42] of devotees are brought upon by one or several factors including heat, fatigue, or being trampled upon by the crowd.^[39]

An estimated 8,124,050 devotees participated in the 2025 procession:15.89% at the Quirino Grandstand;4.76% on the route;79.35% in and around the church.^[41] The number was higher by24.36% compared to the previous year with 6,532,501 devotees,^[43] thus becoming one of thebiggest crowds in the religious festival's history.^[40]

Such high figures were reported even prior to the pandemic; for instance, the number of participated devotees in 2015 was placed at nine million.^[44]

In 2014, media outlets reported that there were 10 million participants—supposedly a record high—which, according to theNational Capital Region Police Office, included a purported three million at the pre-procession mass at Luneta. However, this only caused confusion as theNational Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council estimated only 300,000 devotees in the procession and the masses. The Church later explained that the figure covers attendance at the activities which included thepasasalamat and thepahalik. Meanwhile,Metro Manila Development Authority chairpersonFrancis Tolentino placed the number of the participants in the festivities at10–12 million.^[45]

Red is theliturgical colour for the Feast of Jesus the Nazarene. In the absence of any national liturgical directive prior to 2025, the decision to celebrate the feast was left to individual parishes and communities. In 2024, theArchdiocese of Manila, and the rector of Quiapo Church at the time,Rufino Sescon, proposed to theHoly See for the feast’s nationwide observance.^[46] On 6 September that year, at the end of the 38th National Meeting of Diocesan Directors of Liturgy inAntipolo, it was announced the Feast of the Jesus the Nazarene would observed and added to the Philippine’snational liturgical calendar beginning in 2025.^[9]

Propers for theLiturgy of the Word on this feast are similar to those for theFeast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.^[47]

• First Reading:Numbers 21:4b-9
• Responsorial Psalm:Psalm 78 (77):1-2, 34–35, 36–37, 38
• Second Reading:Philippians 2:6-11
• Gospel:John 3:13-17

Since 2023, thirty-three hourly Masses are held at Quiapo Church from the firstVigil Mass on January 8 at 3:00 p.m.PST, until the last Mass at 11:00 p.m. on the feast day itself. This is to accommodate the many pilgrims at the basilica, while the number33 references the traditional age of Jesus at thecrucifixion.^[12]

Similar processions replicating theTraslación are also held on January 9 in other parts of the country. The largest of these is held inCagayan de Oro, which uses an official replica of the image given by the Minor Basilica in 2009. It has since become a center for the devotion in Mindanao.

On 4 March 2014, an official replica from Quiapo Church arrived at the Old Chapel of Saint Rock the Healer Mission Center, Bishop's Compound, Barangay Cawayan,Catarman, Northern Samar. Since then, many devotees acrossNorthern Samar came to venerate the sacred image, especially on its novena day of Friday. At that time, the said mission center was constructing a bigger church.^{[citation needed]} The firstTraslación was held on 9 January 2015, when the image was solemnly transferred from the old church to the new, unfinished one. Devotees came fromNorthern Samar and the rest of the island.^[48] On 12 September 2016, the new church was dedicated and consecrated by CardinalLuis Antonio Tagle. The event was concelebrated by priests from Quiapo Church, Felomino G. Bactol, theBishop of Naval, Bishop Emeritus Anghel Hobayan of theDiocese of Catarman, Emmanuel C. Trance, the Bishop of Catarman, the Mission Center's first administrator Alan Abalon, and the Mission Center's second administrator and rector, Rico M. Manook. The event saw devotees from across theEastern Visayas, and during the celebrations the Mission Center was elevated to the status ofdiocesan shrine, making it the first Visayan church with such rank for this image.^{[citation needed]}

On 18 August 2019, the diocesan shrine became a parish church, making it the first barangay-based parish in the whole Diocese of Catarman. Its current title is Saint Rock the Healer Parish, Diocesan Shrine of the Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.^[49]

Filipinos overseas have brought the tradition of a procession and Mass honoring of the Nazareno image to countries such asAustralia and theUnited States. As in Quiapo, a copy of the image is paraded through the streets or within the parish bounds, with devotees reciting prayers in its wake.^{[citation needed]}

In September 2012, a replica of the Black Nazarene was canonically enshrined at Saint Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Parish inReseda, California, United States. A procession in theUnited Arab Emirates made it the firstTraslación in the Middle East on January 4, 2019, the first Friday of that month.^[50]

Travel within the City of Manila during theTraslación every January 9 might be difficult as heavy traffic is expected. Mostjeepneys and buses use alternate routes for the day to avoid the procession, thus creating additional travel time. Some public rail transport systems such as the LRTLines 1 and2 accommodate barefoot devotees when it is typically prohibited to ride barefoot.

Traffic rerouting is implemented on the annual procession and the day before, and is enforced by theManila Police District with reinforcements from thePhilippine National Police and, since 2014, theArmed Forces of the Philippines and theMetropolitan Manila Development Authority. ThePhilippine Coast Guard guards stretches of the Pasig River along theAyala (since 2020),Jones (until 2019),MacArthur (until 2013) andQuezon bridges to ensure the safe passage of the procession.

A similar scenario may be experienced by tourists and travellers in Cagayan de Oro and in Catarman, Northern Samar during the yearly processions of the sacred image, as well as in other towns and cities where replica images are brought out in procession on this day.

• Lino Brocka's 1980 filmBona starringNora Aunor opens with the scenes of a traslación.
• The Filipino novelRevolution: 80 Days (2022) features the traslación as a key event.^[51][52][53]

• Roman Catholic festivals in the Philippines
• Festivals in Metro Manila
• Culture in Manila
• January observances

• CS1 foreign language sources (ISO 639-2)
• CS1 Tagalog-language sources (tl)
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use Philippine English from May 2021
• All Wikipedia articles written in Philippine English
• Use mdy dates from January 2022
• Infobox holiday fixed day
• Articles containing Filipino-language text
• Articles containing Spanish-language text
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021