
WITHOUT any ropes and the carriage navigating the final stretch of a 5.8-kilometer procession through the sheer force of millions of Catholic devotees, the historic image of the Jesus Nazareno returned home to Quiapo Church at 1:26 a.m. on Jan. 10, after nearly 21 hours.
This marked one of the longest processions of the miraculous image in recent history, as it clocked in at exactly 20 hours, 45 minutes, and 4 seconds, surpassing last year’s nearly 15 hours.
More than 8 million devotees were recorded in Traslación 2025 with 387,000 swarming the procession, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
No serious injuries and untoward incidents were reported by the Manila Police District.
The Hijos del Nazareno brotherhood manually pushed the andas after the last and second rope snapped at around 6:40 p.m. near San Sebastian Church after the “dungaw” tradition.
Some time after, police personnel were seen helping push the andas up until its final destination.
The first rope reportedly snapped along Ayala Boulevard a few hours into the procession.
The bulletproof glass carriage was improved with a sunroof made of tempered glass, a ventilation system, and reinforced steel protections.
Its two-inch platforms at the front and back was also removed to prevent devotees from climbing onto the carriage. Still, this modification proved to have no use as devotees ignored the no climbing rule.
Geraldine Amoyan, a devotee since 1992 who brought her own Nazareno replica, said climbing the andas is a form of devotion.
“Tradisyon na ‘yan. Hindi na mababago kahit anong pilit natin diyan. Anumang gawin nila sa paggawa ng arko nila o karosa ng Nazareno, talagang sasampahin at sasampahin ng tao yan,” she told the Varsitarian. “Walang magbabago. ‘Yan at ‘yan pa rin kasi debosyon ‘yan.”
Just before 6 p.m., the carriage arrived in front of San Sebastian Church in Plaza del Carmen for the centuries-old “dungaw” tradition. It involves the meeting of the images of Jesus Nazareno and Our Lady of Mount Carmel meeting as a gesture of courtesy by the “King of Quiapo” passing through the church of the “Queen of Quiapo.”
For Jason Pandisulong, who has been a devotee for eight years, joining the Traslación runs in the family blood.
His family members have been devotees for 25 years.
“Worth it kasi lahat ng dinadasal ng aming pamilya natutupad. Tulad ng kapatid kong naaksidente sa motor, talagang pinagdasal namin siya. Ngayon, nandito siya, kasama pa rin namin,” Pandisulong said.
“Damang-dama [ang pag asa] tulad niyan, buo pa rin ang pamilya namin. Magkakasama pa rin kami lahat.”
He also acknowledged the name change from Itim na Poong Hesus Nazareno or Black Nazarene to Poong Hesus Nazareno or Jesus Nazarene after Quiapo Church officials contended that the origin of the term “Black Nazarene” is unclear.
This change, Pandisulong said, does not have any impact to their devotion.
“Basta naglilingkod ka sa Panginoon. Sa pangalan wala namang problema diyan, basta ‘yong panata mo ganoon pa rin. Hindi pa rin magbabago.”
The Traslación is held every Jan. 9 to commemorate the Jesus Nazarene image’s transfer from San Nicolas de Tolentino Church inside Intramuros to Quiapo Church in 1787. With reports from Vince Alfred M. Pillagara, Marigela Isabel R. Cirio and Marielle F. Pesa