CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines — Close to 20,000 devotees from the Visayas and Mindanao joined the traslacion in this city yesterday.
A report on GMA News quoted city police spokesperson Maj. Evan Viñas as saying that the number of devotees is lower compared to the estimated 120,000 who attended the event last year.
At least 1,000 policemen and soldiers were deployed to secure the religious event as police and the archdiocese expected around 150,000 devotees.
In a message over Radio Veritas, Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Jose Cabantan encouraged the faithful to draw strength and inspiration from the birth of Jesus and find hope even in the face of life’s burdens.
“Jesus’ passion and the cross we carry give us hope despite the burdens we bear. We are not alone in facing life’s trials. God is always with us,” he said.
The Minor Basilica and National Shrine of the Black Nazarene presented the archdiocese with a pilgrim image of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 5, 2009.
The image was brought to the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral.
The Black Nazarene procession in Northern Mindanao started in the same year.
Cabantan said the traslacion in Cagayan de Oro mirrored the Walk of Faith conducted by Quiapo church in the previous year.