Hundreds of thousands of believers accompany barefoot the life-size statue of Jesus, called the “Black Nazarene”, through the Philippine capital, Manila. A glass container should stop them from trying to touch the figure for the first time.
In the Philippines, more than a million Christians marched barefoot through the capital Manila during one of the world's largest religious festivals. Since Tuesday morning (local time), the faithful paid homage to a life-size statue of Jesus, the so-called “Black Nazarene”, which traveled through the city in a six-kilometer-long procession. For the past three years, the mega event has been canceled due to the corona pandemic.
APA/AFP/Ted Aljibe 
Portal/Eloísa López 
Imago / José Monsieur Santos
Officials had hoped the number of participants in the hour-long procession could rise to more than two million – the same number as before the pandemic. Many Filipinos believe the statue performs miracles. 5,600 police officers were supposed to guarantee the safety of believers.
For the first time, the figure of Christ was transported around Manila in a glass container to discourage participants from climbing onto the float and touching it with their hands or with towels and tissues. Many Filipinos believe that cloths have magical powers and can heal the sick. Still, some tried to at least touch the container. Others held the rope that pulled the cart through the crowd.
The moving truck ropes. APA/AFP/Ted Aljibe 
If you want to be close to the figure, don't be afraid to touch it. APA/AFP/Jam Sta Rosa 
The island state is, together with small East Timor, the only country in Asia where Catholics are the majority. More than 80 percent are Catholic.
Some participants manage to climb onto the cart and touch the glass. APA/AFP/Jam Sta Rosa 
APA/AFP/Earvin Perias 
The cross, which didn't seem to fit in the moving van, is also a popular object to touch. APA/AFP/Earvin Perias 
APA/AFP/Ted Aljibe
According to the Philippine Red Cross, 180 patients who suffered fainting, bruises and difficulty breathing had to be treated in the first hours of the procession. The government declared Tuesday a holiday in Manila. The sale of alcohol was banned.
The wooden figure of Jesus is said to have been brought from Mexico to Manila by missionaries in 1606 and survived a ship fire. She was later named Black Nazarena. The procession commemorates the way in which the figure was brought to the church in the Quiapo neighborhood in the 18th century. (APA)
APA/AFP/Ted Aljibe 
APA/AFP/Jam Sta Rosa 
APA/AFP/Jam Sta Rosa 
APA/AFP/Ted Aljibe