More than 13K attend Cagayan de Oro's Traslacion despite pandemic fears

This Thursday, January 9, Catholic leaders and local authorities in Cagayan de Oro anticipated a more subdued turnout for the Traslacion procession of the Black Nazarene compared to previous years.

The event, introduced in 2009 as a scaled-down version of Manila's Quiapo procession, has become an important religious tradition in Mindanao but saw declining participation due to lingering fears from the COVID-19 pandemic and reduced interest among younger parishioners.

Despite initial estimates predicting only about 13,000 devotees, more than 13,000 participants joined the procession on Thursday, January 9, according to authorities.

Tight security measures remained in place throughout the event, including snipers on rooftops and K-9 units along the procession route from Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral to Nazareno Church.

Church officials have urged devotees not to throw white towels or handkerchiefs at the carriage carrying the Black Nazarene replica due to safety concerns.