A throng of devotees is expected to attend this year’s feast of the Black Nazarene in the southern city of Davao.
In preparation for the feast, novena Masses have been held since January 1 at the Our Lady of Peñafrancia GKK Chapel, which is home to a life-sized image of the Black Nazarene, in the city’s Buhangin district.
The image was given to the Davao archdiocese by the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or the Quiapo Church in Manila in 2015.
The chapel, located inside the DECA Homes Esperanza, is under the canonical jurisdiction of the San Antonio Maria de Liguori Parish, also in Buhangin.
On Jan. 6, at 4 p.m., the image will be transferred to San Alfonso Maria de Liguori Parish Church for the continuation of the novena Masses, which will take place every 6 p.m.
On the feast day, January 9, the statue will be carried in a procession on its way back to the chapel, where Fiesta Masses will be held at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
“All devotees are encouraged to bring their own personal Nazareno image during the procession and fiesta Mass in order to be blessed by the priests,” the chapel said.
