Manila's year-opener Catholic procession is now in full swing, with authorities expecting at least 2 million devotees across the Philippines and the global Filipino diaspora.
The annual Nazareno procession in Manila began on Monday (January 8) with an evening vigil at 18:00 local time (10:00 UTC) with a Eucharistic adoration within Vespers. It was followed by a worship concert and theatrical plays by youth groups affiliated to the Minor Basilica of the Jesus Nazarene in Manila's Quiapo district.
By midnight of Tuesday, January 9 (16:00 UTC, January 8), a Mass would be offered by Cardinal Jose Advincula, the Archbishop of Manila, at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila's Luneta Park.
After the service, performances, testimonies, and guest appearances from famous local celebrities who have a devotion to the image of the suffering Jesus would continue.
Before dawn, there would be a morning prayer service before the beginning of the procession.
As for security measures, church and state authorities urge devotees to trust and support the measures they have put in place to ensure the security of the image and the orderliness of the procession.
"We ask our fellow devotees to learn to trust and support measures that are more appropriate for our authorities to execute," the Rev. Hans Magdurulang told Inquirer.net.
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