MANILA, Philippines — This year’s traslacion or the traditional procession of the Black Nazarene, which drew over six million devotees, was “generally peaceful,” the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reported on Wednesday.
NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. attributed the success of the religious event to the close coordination among police, church administrators, local government units and volunteer groups.
Returning after a three-year pause due to the pandemic, the traslacion exceeded the initial crowd estimate by threefold.
Based on the NCRPO data, this year’s Feast of the Black Nazarene drew more than 6.5 million Catholic devotees.
Despite the huge crowd, Nartatez said the “fastest and safest” traslacion occurred seamlessly.
The NCRPO said strict security protocols were enforced and over 22,000 personnel from various agencies were deployed for the event.
The traslacion ended after 14 hours and 59 minutes – faster than the 2020 procession of 16 hours and 35 minutes.