"Viva Señor Jesus Nazareno!" Feast of Black Nazarene 2014

"Viva Señor Jesus Nazareno!"

The Feast of Black Nazarene, annual event every January 9th. It commemorates the 'Traslación' or Passage of life-sized, dark wooden statue of Jesus Christ through procession or transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo Church, Manila.

Highlight of the celebration is the grand procession of sea of devotees from Quirino Grandstand at seven in the morning.

(Photo: Jim Guiao Punzalan)

The organizers said that an estimate of 12 million people are expected to join the activities for  the Feast of Black Nazarene.

MMDA releases Feast of Black Nazarene 2014 procession route, traffic rerouting scheme. Since the procession will not pass through the usual route, McArthur Bridge, which the Department of Public Works and Highways said is only fit to handle 20 tons or 10,000 people at any given time, the procession is expected to last 10 to 12 hours.

Here's a map detailing the parade route of the annual procession for the Feast of Black Nazarene 2014:

Route from Quirino Grandstand (Luneta), right Katigbak Drive thru P. Burgos, left Taft Ave.(P.Burgos) thru McArthur Bridge, right Palanca, thru under Quezon Bridge, left Quezon Blvd., right Fraternal, right Vergara, left Duque de Alba, left Castillejos, left farnecio, right Arlegui, left Nepomuceno, left Aguila, right Carcer, right Hidalgo thru Plaza Del Carmen, left Bilibid Viejo thru Puyat, left Guzman, right Hidalgo, left Barbosa, right Globo de Oro thru under Quezon Bridge, right Palanca, right Villalobos thru Plaza Miranda to Quiapo Church.

Here are the Traffic Re-routing scheme for Feast of Black Nazarene 2014:

1. All vehicles coming from northern part of Manila intending to utilize the stretch of Bonifacio Drive (for Port Area offices) or right to A. Soriano to Magallanes Drive, right to P. Burgos, go straight to Lagusnilad to Taft Ave.

2. All vehicles coming from Taft Avenue northbound shall turn right at A. Villegas (Arroceros), right at Quezon Bridge to point of destination.

3. All vehicles coming from southern part of Manila intending to utilize the northbound of Roxas Blvd. from T. M. Kalaw to P. Burgos shall turn right to T.M. Kalaw to point of destination.

4. All vehicles coming from Quezon City using the stretch of Espana shall turn right P. Campa, left Andalucia, right Fuguso, left T. Mapua to point of destination.

5. All PUJ’s/light vehicles coming from Espana intending to proceed to South Pier Zone take the usual route using Quezon Bridge.

6. All vehicles coming from Divisoria intending to utilize the stretch of C. Recto Avenue shall turn left to T. Alonzo, right at Furguso, right at Andalucia to point of destination.

7. All vehicles coming from Legarda shall turn right Recto or left Mendiola to point of destination.

8. All heavy vehicles/cargo trucks coming from the south shall take Pres. Osmena, right Pres. Quirino to Nagtahan via A.H. Lacson to Capulong (vice-versa).

Some notes from MMDA:

1. All motorist intending to proceed to North of Manila or South of Manila shall advise to utilized the stretch of Lacson to Nagtahan (vice-versa) or to utilized the stretch of Road 10 to Roxas Blvd. (vice-versa) to point of destination.

2. All buses coming from southern part of Manila (Laguna and Cavite) utilizing Taft Ave. are not allowed to enter from 7:00 AM to 12:00 NN and allowed only up to Pres. Quirino as their turning point. #mmda 

THE Manila City Council has declared January 9, the Feast of the Black Nazarene, a special non-working holiday in the city.

A resolution passed on first reading by the council said the feast would highlight the “religious significance and cultural importance of the Feast of the Black Nazarene” and that there is truly a need to “preserve, enshrine, and promote its observance, commemoration, and celebration in the City of Manila.”

Councilor DJ Bagatsing who authored the ordinance, said that it is essentially sound for Manila to propose a local holiday on the Feast of Black Nazarene. 

“This would give loyal worshippers a better chance of engaging in this sacred tradition,” Councilor DJ Bagatsing added.

The city had earlier announced the suspension of classes on Thursday to spare students from being stranded because of the expected deluge of devotees. 

Barefoot devotees will again be allowed in trains, according to the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA). LRT rides will not be free and security inspections will continue. He said the number of LRT commuters doubles during the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

The traditional “pahalik” of the Black Nazarene had already started after the venerated image was transferred to Quirino Grandstand Monday evening.