Nazarene volunteers to attend special mass

MANILA, Philippines — A special mass for volunteers in the Feast of the Black Nazarene will be held today, a first in the history of arguably the biggest devotion of Filipino Catholics.

Alex Irasca, an officer of the organizing committee of the annual procession, said the mass will be held at the Quirino Grandstand at 7 a.m., specially intended for government personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Health tasked to secure and provide assistance for the annual feast attended by millions of faithful.

Irasca said the mass is also intended for private volunteers, including those from the medical profession, as well as members of media covering the events of the feast.

“We are inviting all our volunteers to attend this special mass so all of us will be blessed by the Black Nazarene. We will also be given the privilege to experience the ‘pahalik’ before the start of our procession,” he said.

Irasca said the organizing committee tapped by the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or St. John the Baptist Parish, more popularly known as Quiapo Church, has decided to provide the special mass for volunteers this year after consultation with the volunteers themselves.

“Based on study and dialogue with police and soldier volunteers, we pity them because they have not been given the opportunity in the past to experience the blessing of our Señor Nazareno,” he said.

Msgr. Hernando Coronel, rector of Quiapo Church, said the special mass would be exclusive for the volunteers.

He said Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of the Quiapo Church, would celebrate the mass.

“We will not open it to the public so the volunteers would be given the chance to touch the Nazareno for their personal intentions,” he bared.

Replica procession

Meanwhile, thousands of devotees of the Black Nazareno from different parts of the country took part in the annual procession of replicas of the image through the streets of Quiapo yesterday afternoon as a prelude to the grand procession tomorrow.

The procession of the replicas “showcased not only centuries-old personal collections of sacred images that have been cared for and passed on from generations of devotees but the Filipinos’ unwavering faith, trust and devotion to the Black Nazarene,” organizers said.

Badong said the procession of replicas is part of the objective of the Church to “strengthen and deepen their faith in the Black Nazarene.”

A day before the eve of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, the number of devotees who attended masses at Quiapo Church swelled to 42,000, according to the police.

Today, millions of devotees are expected to gather at the Quirino Grandstand where the Black Nazarene will be brought for an overnight vigil and a series of activities that starts at 5 p.m. before the early morning mass and grand procession that will bring the image back to Quiapo Church on its feast day tomorrow.

An estimated one to two million devotees are expected to join the annual procession called Traslacion, which will start at Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park and end at the Quiapo Church.

Last year, about 1.4 million attended the Traslacion, which lasted around 22 hours, one of longest in recent history.

The Traslacion showcases the transfer of the Black Nazarene image from the Recollect Church in Intramuros, Manila to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in 1787.

It is the 11th time that the Black Nazarene procession will start outside the Quiapo Church.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said security measures are in place for tomorrow’s procession.

NCRPO spokesperson Chief Insp. Kimberly Molitas said authorities have approved the use of signal jammers.

Molitas said though the use of signal jammers was approved, there was specific time and place of implementation.

“(At) specific points where the Nazarene is at a specific time,” she said.

Signal jammers had been used previously to prevent explosive devices triggered by mobile phones.

Molitas said the PNP will coordinate with the National Telecommunications Commission regarding the use of signal jammers.

Officials estimated that 18.9 million devotees would join the Black Nazarene activities from Dec. 31 until Jan. 9.

At least 5,613 uniformed police officers will be deployed for the procession, augmented by troops from the military under Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the AFP-Joint Task Force National Capital Region.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Manila Police District (MPD) would be implementing a “no fly zone” in the area above Quiapo district and the route of the procession.

Police said unauthorized use of drones will also be prohibited, except for media coverage, provided they have a permit and authorization from the Traslacion 2018 executive committee.

The PCG will impose a “no sail zone” behind the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park where the image would be on public viewing from Jan. 8 until the morning of Jan. 9.

The Manila City government has installed more than 200 CCTV cameras to monitor the 10-kilometer route of the Traslacion.

The city government would implement a gun ban starting midnight of Jan. 8 until midnight of Jan. 10. During the 48-hour period, all permits to carry firearms would be suspended.

The city government has also ordered a 48-hour liquor ban from midnight of Jan. 8 to midnight of Jan. 10.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada has ordered the suspension of classes in all levels and city government work on Jan. 9.

Estrada said the suspension or work in national government offices in Manila would be left to the decision of their respective heads.

Good weather is expected over Manila during the Traslacion but the state weather bureau yesterday advised devotees to bring umbrellas since thunderstorms are likely to occur in the afternoon and evening.

“Isolated rains are expected but this will be brief,” according to weather forecaster Robb Gile.

Gile said the temperature in Metro Manila would range from 24 to 32 degrees Celsius tomorrow. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Helen Flores, Michael Punongbayan, Rey Galupo, Non Alquitran