Traslación of the Black Nazarene

The Traslación commemorates the transfer of the Black Nazarene image to Quiapo Church in 1787, and every 9 January it is re-enacted: the image is taken from Rizal Park on a carriage called the andas, pulled by ropes through the streets of Manila back to Quiapo, over a route of a few kilometres that takes fifteen, twenty, sometimes more hours to complete because of the crush. Devotees walk barefoot, dressed in maroon, and press toward the carriage to touch it or to throw towels for the mamamasan to wipe on the image and return; the ropes are hauled by thousands of men and the crowd is counted in the millions. Injuries occur every year and there have been deaths, and the authorities deploy medical teams, cut mobile signal and close large parts of the city. It is the most intense expression of popular Catholicism in the Philippines, and it is not a spectator event in any comfortable sense.

Highlights

• The andas - the carriage hauled by ropes through the streets.
• The barefoot devotees - maroon-clad crowds along the route.
• The towel throwing - cloths passed forward to touch the image.
• The closed city - Manila's centre shut down for the day.

When to go

9 January, every year. The procession starts in the early morning and can run past midnight. Vantage points along the route fill overnight beforehand.

Things to know

This is genuinely dangerous in the crush - injuries occur every year and there have been deaths, and the authorities issue warnings for good reason. Mobile signal is cut, roads close, and there is no easy exit once inside the crowd. Watch from a distance or from the fringes if at all.

Nearby

Quiapo Church is the destination; Binondo, Escolta and Intramuros surround the route.