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The traditional procession of the Black Nazarene or Traslación in January 2021 has been canceled due to health concerns over the pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the government of the city of Manila said on Friday.
Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said that the cancellation of the procession was agreed by the City Council and officials of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, the official designation of the Quiapo Church.
“In the meantime, I ask everyone not to do parades and processions because it is difficult to control people, which puts them at risk,” Domagoso told reporters.
La Traslación usually attracts up to a million faithful who accompany the image on its journey to the Church of Quiapo or on its route.
It will be the first time in decades that the Translation has been canceled.
The rector of the Quiapo church, Monsignor Hernando Coronel, said he was “saddened” by the cancellation, but emphasized that the church and the public must follow the health protocols imposed by the government.
Instead of the procession, more masses will be scheduled, Coronel said.
“We are trying to find ways to have this celebration. Our devotion will be demonstrated by having a mass in honor of our Black Nazarene, ”he said.
Douglas Badong, parish vicar of the Quiapo Church, told DZMM radio that the church will hold the Novena Mass (Novena Mass) “every hour from sunrise to sunset.”
He said they are also looking for “localized celebrations” of the feast of the Black Nazarene by “encouraging everyone [Catholic] churches in the Philippines to celebrate the mass of the Feast of the Black Nazarene. “
The original statue of the Black Nazarene, which arrived in Manila from Mexico on May 31, 1606, was carved from mesquite wood by an unknown sculptor.
It was partially destroyed in 1945 during the Battle of Manila in World War II.
Gener Manlaqui, a renowned Filipino santero or holy carver, made the present replica using the original head.
The annual procession is a re-enactment of the 1787 Translation, literally the “solemn transfer” – of the image from its original shrine in Bagumbayan, present-day Rizal Park, to the Quiapo Church.
The last time the event was canceled was during the war, according to Fr. Badong, as reported by the Manila Public Information Office.
The Black Nazarene, believed to have healing powers, is carried from the Quirino Tribune to the Quiapo Church in a procession that lasts up to 22 hours.
This year’s Translation only lasted 16 hours, the fastest in recent years.
According to a directive from the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), Quiapo Church and other churches in Metro Manila will only be 30 percent full.
Church capacity in MM, GCQ areas
The IATF-EID raised the allowed seating in churches and similar places of worship in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) from 10 percent to 30 percent of seating capacity following the recommendation of the mayors of Metro Manila.
The task force also gave the Metro Manila Council (MMC) approval to shorten the curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. and allowed residents from 6 p.m. to 65 p.m. years away from their residences.
Relaxing restrictions on church gatherings will allow more faithful Catholics to attend sunrise Masses in December, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Friday.
In December, the curfew will be further reduced from 12 a.m. M. A 3 a. M.
Roque said that because the number of new Covid-19s has decreased, the country can continue its Christmas traditions.
“Because we no longer have Undas, our cemeteries are closed, then we have also canceled a lot, so maybe somehow we have the continuation of our Christmas traditions even though we can only have 30 percent of Simbang Gabi,” said (Ya we close cemeteries on All Saints’ Day and cancel other events, so I think we can continue our Christmas traditions even if it means limiting churches to 30 percent of capacity during sunrise masses.)
With reporting from Keith Calayag
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