Pandemic forces cancellation of Traslacion
THE traditional Black Nazarene procession or Traslacion in January 2021 has been canceled over health concerns from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the Manila city government said on Friday.
Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said the procession’s cancellation was agreed on by City Hall and officials of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, the official designation of the Quiapo Church.
“For the meantime, I’m asking everyone not to hold parades and processions because it’s hard to control the people, putting them at risk,” Domagoso told reporters.
The Traslacion usually attracts as many as a million worshippers who accompany the image in its journey to the Quiapo Church or line its route.
It will be the first time in decades that the Traslacion is being called off.
Quiapo Church rector Monsignor Hernando Coronel said he was “saddened” by the cancellation, but stressed the church and public must follow health protocols enforced by the government.
In lieu of the procession, more masses will be scheduled, Coronel said.
“We’re trying to come up with ways to have this celebration. Our devotion will be shown by having mass to honor our Black Nazarene,” he said.
Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of the Quiapo Church, told radio DZMM the church will hold the MisaNovena (Novena Mass) “every hour from pre-dawn to dusk.”
He said they are also looking at “localized celebrations” of the feast of the Black Nazarene by “encouraging all [Catholic] churches in the Philippines to hold mass for the Feast of the Black Nazarene.”
The original statue of 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 for Manila in the Second World War.
Gener Manlaqui, a renowned Filipino santero or saint carver, made the present replica using the original head.
The annual procession is a reenactment of the 1787 Traslacion, literally the “solemn transfer” — of the image from its original shrine in Bagumbayan, the present Rizal Park, to the Quiapo Church.
The last time the event was canceled was during the war, according to Fr. Badong, as relayed by the Manila Public Information Office.
The Black Nazarene, believed to have healing powers, is carried from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church in a procession that takes as long as 22 hours.
This year’s Traslacion only lasted for 16 hours, the fastest in recent years.
In compliance with a directive from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases ( IATF- EID), the 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 allowable 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 Metro Manila mayors.
The task force also gave the Metro Manila Council (MMC) approval to shorten curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. and allowed residents aged 18 to 65 outside of their residences.
Relaxing the restrictions on church gatherings will allow more of the Catholic faithful to attend dawn masses in December, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said on Friday.
Come December, the curfew will be further reduced to 12 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Roque said because the number of new Covid- 19 has dropped, the country may continue with its Christmas traditions.
“WalanakasitayongUndas, saradoangatingmgasementeryo, taposmaraminarintayongnakansela, so siguronamankahitpapano magkaroonnamantayongpagpapatuloy Christmas traditions bagamat 30 percent lang poangatingpupuwedengSimbang Gabi,” he said (We are already closing cemeteries on All Saints’ Day and canceled other events, so I think we can continue with our Christmas traditions even if it means limiting churches to 30-percent capacity during dawn Masses).