Black Nazarene feast declared national holiday in Manila

The Feast of the Black Nazarene, also known as the Feast of Jesus Nazarene, will be celebrated nationally this year for the first time since it was declared a 'national feast' by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on January 9th.

Church Rector Rev. Fr. Jun Sescon announced that every diocese and parish across the country will observe the feast with the theme 'Mas mabuti ang pagsunod kaysa paghahandog (1 Sam. 15:22)' or 'It is better to obey than to sacrifice' for those who hope in Jesus.

Despite the national celebration, Quiapo Church expects a large influx of devotees this year, with over 6.5 million people attending in 2024 and millions more expected next Thursday.

To ensure safety and order, authorities are deploying more than 14,000 personnel and implementing measures such as a gun ban, liquor ban, and road closures in Manila.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s office declared January 9th a special non-working holiday in Manila to facilitate the orderly procession of devotees and manage traffic flow.

Feast organizers have released the schedule for Nazareno 2025 activities, including novena masses from December 31st through January 8th, and the Traslacion route that stretches a total length of 5.8 kilometers.