Over 9,000 people have gathered at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila for this year’s “Pahalik,” a special event where people pay their respects to the image of Jesus Nazareno. This annual event is part of the bigger celebration of the Feast of Jesus Nazareno, which started on December 31, 2024, and will end on January 9, 2025.
As of Tuesday, January 7, more than 9,400 devotees have participated in the Pahalik, which began around 7 p.m. on Monday, January 6, and continued through Tuesday afternoon. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) quickly responded to the large crowd by adding 10 more tents, bringing the total number of tents to 40. This was done to provide more space and shelter for the growing number of people coming to show their devotion.
Originally scheduled to start at midnight on Tuesday, the Pahalik event actually began earlier than planned as many people arrived after the Mass for volunteers. The devotion is part of a 10-day celebration leading up to the Traslacion, which is the procession of the image of Jesus Nazareno. The Traslacion will begin at Quirino Grandstand and end at Quiapo Church. Millions of people are expected to take part in this grand procession.
The Pahalik is a time for people to show their respect by touching or kissing the image of Jesus Nazareno, seeking blessings and making prayers. It is one of the most significant religious events for many Filipino Catholics, and the excitement and devotion from the crowd are a testament to how much this tradition means to them.
