DESPITE the declaration of the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno as a liturgical celebration in all dioceses throughout the Philippines, devotees of the iconic image of Jesus Christ still prefer to go to Quiapo, Manila.
This was the observation of organizers of the religious feast, citing last year's experience during the annual Traslacion.
"Last year, we didn't expect the number to go up because the celebration of the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno had already begun throughout the Philippines. We expected the number to go down last year, but we still recorded the highest number of devotees," said Nazareno 2026 spokesman Fr. Robert Arellano in a press conference on Wednesday.
The Feast of the Jesus Nazareno was declared a liturgical feast in all dioceses throughout the Philippines in September 2024.
In 2024, a total of 8.4 million devotees participated in the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno, beginning with the start of the Novena Masses on December 31 until the feast day on January 9.
"We saw a record number of devotees who attended the festivities. The 8.4 million is the total for the 10-day festivities," the priest noted.
Given the 2025 experience, he said they expect the numbers to still go up for the 2026 edition.
"We don’t really have an estimate, but based on experience, the number is really increasing," Arellano said.
On January 9, the grand procession of the image of the Jesus Nazareno is set to take place from the Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)