About Feast of the Black Nazarene (Traslación)
Every January 9, Manila hosts one of the largest religious gatherings on Earth. Millions of devotees, most of them barefoot and in maroon, accompany the Black Nazarene — a dark wooden image of Christ carrying the cross, carved in Mexico and brought to the Philippines in the early 1600s — along a route of roughly six and a half kilometres from Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park to the Minor Basilica in Quiapo. The countdown above tracks the days until the next Traslación.
The procession re-enacts the 1787 transfer of the image to Quiapo Church, which is where the Spanish word traslación comes from. It is famously slow: the andas, the carriage bearing the image, inches forward for eighteen to twenty-two hours as devotees take turns on the ropes, throw towels to be wiped on the image and pass them back through the crowd. Many walk the whole route without shoes as an act of penance, and the shout of "Viva Señor!" carries for kilometres.
For Filipinos abroad, January 9 is a day to watch the live broadcast from home; in Manila it reshapes the city, with road closures, suspended classes and a mobile-signal blackout around the route. Whether you plan to join the procession or follow it from a distance, this page counts down the days, hours and minutes to the next feast.
Upcoming dates
| 2027 | Saturday, January 9, 2027next |
| 2028 | Sunday, January 9, 2028 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, January 9, 2029 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, January 9, 2030 |
| 2031 | Thursday, January 9, 2031 |
FAQ
When is the Feast of the Black Nazarene?
January 9 every year. The Traslación procession starts before dawn at Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park and can run past midnight before the image reaches Quiapo Church.
What is the Traslación?
The word means "transfer". The procession re-enacts the 1787 move of the Black Nazarene from its earlier home to the Minor Basilica in Quiapo, Manila.
Why do devotees walk barefoot?
Walking without shoes is an act of penance and humility, and a way of fulfilling a panata — a personal vow made in thanks for an answered prayer.
How long does the procession take?
Usually eighteen to twenty-two hours, and sometimes longer, because the crowd moves the carriage by hand along a route of about 6.5 kilometres.