A DAY before thousands of devotees will once again flock to join the celebration of the feast of Black Nazarene, organizers anticipated more "millennials" to participate in the annual Traslacion on Thursday, January 9.

The Traslacion is an annual feast procession of the Black Nazarene statue that will be celebrated simultaneously throughout the country.

The statue, carved by an unknown Mexican from a dark wood in the 16th century, is a life-sized image of a dark-skinned, kneeling Jesus Christ carrying the cross. It is transported to the Philippines in 1606, and is originally enshrined at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo in Manila. Its replicas were also carried out in the entire country.

Pangulo sa Liturhiya and extra-ordinary minister of Holy Communion Joseph Nichols O. Magdaherin of the Black Nazarene Chapel and San Pablo Parish said that in their parish, they are expecting more than 5,000 Roman Catholic devotees to join the annual procession.

Magdaherin said expected to join are the "millennials" or those from the youth secton, whose number of participants increases throughout the years.

He said that for the first time, the parish will have a theatre presentation, which will be staged by the youth themselves.

"As the year passes by, ga-participate na mismo ang mga youth and mga bata sa atong mga aktibidades (the youth are more active in our annual activities)," Magdaherin said in a phone interview.

He cited the influence of the digital age, which sparked millennials' interest in actively participating not only in the Traslacion, but also in other religious activities.

"The larger turnout of devotees could be (attributed to) the miracles they were able to experience, which could have influenced others," Magdaherin said.

He hopes that they will also be influenced to practice Christ-like living.

While devotees have different intentions with their active participation in the religious event, as they believe that wiping or having a physical contact with the statue has a miraculous benefit to the devotee, Magdaherin said the Catholic Church urged devotees to pray and not rely on miracles.

"Change in one's self is not from God. The Lord is just there to guide us, but if you will not change yourself, changes will not happen at all," Magdaherin said, adding that devotees must also value sacrifice and suffering in accordance to the Lord's will.

Aside from the procession and Mass, medical mission, and kids and youth festival, socio-cultural night will also spice up the 10th fiesta celebration at the Black Nazarene Chapel.

Other chapels and parishes would also celebrate the annual Traslacion in their respective areas.

Meanwhile, the Public Safety and Security Command Center previously reiterated the "no backpack" and "no jacket" policy in all Archdiocese of Davao churches to avoid possible terrorist threat.