The procession started at the Quirino Grandstand and will ply the streets of

Manila, following tradition that has been going on for 221 years.

As of 3:30 a.m. yesterday, the Manila Police District has reported over
365,000 attendees in the area. And around 4 million devotees have joined
this year’s traslacion of the black Nazarene.

The Black Nazarene left the grandstand after the day-long "Pahalik"--or the
Filipino Catholic practice of kissing the image's feet on the eve of
Traslacion.

The Andas, or the carriage bearing the Black Nazarene, will ply a different
route this year. Instead of passing through the east-bound lane of P.
Burgos and Lagusnilad, the procession will use the westbound lane to
Jones Bridge. It will skip the traditional routes of McArthur and Quezon
bridges.

Quiapo Church Rector Monsignor Hernando Coronel also said organizers

will introduce 12 prayer stations along the procession route. The stations
will have quick response units in case of emergency.

Here are the locations of each prayer station:

 Manila Hotel
 National Museum
 Pedestrian underpass in P. Burgos cor. Victoria (in front of Manila City
Hall)
 Pedestrian underpass in Liwasang Bonifacio
 Escolta Arc
 Sta. Cruz Church
 Arlegui cor. Quezon Boulevard
 Pedestrian overpass in Arlegui cor. P. Casal
 Canopy of Manuel L. Quezon University
 San Sebastian Church
 Barangay hall in Guzman St.
 Globo de Oro

The Andas will also stop for a few minutes at the San Sebastian Church for
the Dungaw, where the image of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel will be taken
outside to overlook the Black Nazarene, in commemoration of the Virgin
Mary's encounter with Christ on His way to Calvary.

Supt. Erwin Margarejo, Metro Manila police spokesperson, said tighter

security measures will be implemented. Around 6,500 policemen will also
be deployed in Manila.

MMDA Spokesperson Celine Pialago earlier said 1,300 traffic enforcers are
deployed since January 5, Friday.

Cellphone signal is jammed along the entire procession route. Globe also
announced it will suspend its mobile services in Quiapo on Tuesday for the
Traslacion.

Drones are also banned, according to the police.

The Health Department also advised the devotees to bring enough drinking
water to avoid dehydration, to wear comfortable clothes and protective
footwear, to bring raincoats, and to bring hats, fans, and handkerchiefs.

The devotees also want to give back to God by participating in the suffering of our Lord and
entering into the Paschal mystery of Christ.

History:

A first group of Augustinian Recollect missionaries landed in Manila in 1606 from

Mexico. They brought with them a dark image of Jesus Christ kneeling on one knee and
carrying a large wooden cross. The image was first enshrined in St. John the Baptist
Church at Luneta in 1606 and after two years was moved to a bigger church nearby.
Over a century and a half later, in 1767, the image was transferred to Quiapo Church
whose patron is also St. John the Baptist.