By Ferdinand Patinio/PNA
MANILA — An official of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene said he sees this year’s Traslacion moving “faster” compared to previous years.
According to Fr. Danichi Hui, parochial vicar, the faster finish of the procession is credited to the new initiatives they introduced such as reciting of the “Devotee’s Pledge” and the establishment of 14 prayer stations.
The pledge was introduced to calm down devotees and discourage them from rushing to the right side of the venue where the ‘andas’ or the carriage bearing the image of the Black Nazarene is situated.
“In the past, we have experienced that they are really rushing towards the stage. This is one way to calm them down and make the devotees stay where they are. This enabled ‘mamamasans’ to quickly and properly make the transfer (from the altar to the andas),” Hui explained in an interview.
During the Devotee’s Pledge, devotees are asked to promise that they will abide by the rules and regulations of being a devotee, which is to help maintain calmness and avoid harming others during the procession.
The priest added that they expect the image to be inside the Quiapo Church after 21 hours and 30 minutes.
“We expect it to be finished by 2:30 a.m. Technically, it will be faster than others in the past,” he said.
In 2018, the procession ended at 3 a.m., with a total of 22 hours travel time.
Also, Hui cited last year’s introduction of the prayer stations scattered in 14 areas around the procession route as many people chose to wait there, thus, not crowding the starting phase of the Traslacion at the Luneta.
“The information we have been receiving is that many are just waiting in prayer stations. They are just waiting in the prayer stations since the procession will pass through there,” the church official added.
The prayer stations are areas where there is a replica of the Black Nazarene and also features prayer and songs aimed at calming down devotees joining the procession.
In previous years, the procession experienced difficulties because of the huge volume of people at the Quirino Grandstand.
