Feast of the Black Nazarene

### Significance

Transfer of the image of Black Nazarene from the location of the modern-day Rizal Park, which is believed to be miraculous by devotees, to Quiapo Church

### Observances

Procession of the Black Nazarene (Traslación), Mass attendance, prayers

### Date

January 9 (feast day / Nazarene Day)
January 10 (day after the Feast of the Black Nazarene / Second Nazarene Day)

### Related to

Christmas and holiday season

The **Feast of the Black Nazarene** (Filipino: Pista ng Itím na Nazareno), also known as the **Traslación** after the mass procession associated with the feast, is a religious festival held in Manila, Philippines that is centered around the Black Nazarene, an image of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated annually on January 9. It is one of the final holidays within the Christmas and holiday season that began in early November.

## Background

### History

The Feast of the Black Nazarene commemorates the anniversary of the translation or the transfer of the image from its original location at a church in modern-day Luneta Park to Quiapo. The image was brought to the Church of San Juan Bautista in Bagumbayan (now Luneta) until May 31, 1606, by Augustinian Recollect priests. In 1608, the icon was enshrined at the Recollect church of San Nicolás de Tolentino in Intramuros. It was moved to the Saint John the Baptist Church, which is now commonly referred to as the Quiapo Church, on January 9, 1787. The "solemn transfer" eventually became the date of the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

### Name and characterization

There are opposing views on whether to consider the Feast of the Black Nazarene as a proper fiesta due to the fact that the January 9 observance celebrates the transfer of the image and not the liturgical "feast day" of the image. The proper liturgical commemoration of the Black Nazarene is on Good Friday. In 2021, the Basilica's parochial vicar Douglas Badong explained that the Feast of the Black Nazarene is a proper term for the religious event, and could be called a fiesta as the event is similar to the typical Filipino festival.

The event is also colloquially referred to as "Nazareno" after the image itself, or the Traslación after the January 9 procession. The word “Traslación” is often corrupted to the incorrect "translacion".

## Activities

### Thanksgiving procession

The fesitivities begin with a thanksgiving procession usually held in the late evening of December 30 before the start of its novena the following day, New Year's Eve.

### Pahalik

The Pahalík ("kissing") is usually done a day or a few days before the actual start of the procession at Quirino Grandstand. Devotees form long lines outside the Grandstand, waiting for hours to be able to touch the image of the Black Nazarene.

The wiping of cloth on the image, which is also done during the actual procession itself, follows the folk belief that cloth can absorb the powers of a holy object (usually and specifically its curative abilities). This sanctity-through-contact descends from the ancient custom of ex brandea (cloth wiped on the bodies or tombs of the Twelve Apostles), itself part of the wider category of third-class relics.

### Traslacion

The main highlight of the Feast of the Black Nazarene is the Traslación, taken from the Spanish term for "passage" or "movement".

Every January 9, the Traslación of the Black Nazarene (commemorating the "solemn transfer" of the image's copy from San Nicolás de Tolentino in Intramuros to Quiapo) makes its way along the streets of Quiapo, with attendees reaching up to 220,000 devotees. In recent years a persistent misconception has the Traslación being repeatedly referred to (by the media) as mostly the "Feast of the Black Nazarene" (Pistá ng Itím na Nazareno), and sometimes the "Feast of Quiapo" (Pistá ng Quiapo), which despite the chaotic yet festive atmosphere are far from correct: the Black Nazarene's liturgical commemoration is on Good Friday (the second date of the year on which the image is processed). The basilica's parochial feast day, meanwhile, is on June 24 (concurrent with Manila Day) – the birthday of its titular, John the Baptist.