"A vast sea of maroon and gold flooded the streets of Manila on Friday as millions of Catholic devotees took part in the annual Traslacion procession in honour of the Black Nazarene, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings. The procession lasted 30 hours and 50 minutes, making it the longest and most attended Traslacion on record, according to Quiapo Church. The previous record of 20 hours and 45 minutes was set in 2025. Footage shows tightly packed crowds pushing and surging in an attempt to touch the carriage bearing the centuries-old, life-size statue of Jesus Christ, which many believe brings healing, cures illness or grants good fortune. “I have two grandkids who are sick, that’s why every year, I do this penitence to the Nazarene for them,” said Roberto Yolas, a devotee. “I am praying for a long life, a strong and healthy body, free from any diseases,” said Lolita Salengga, another participant. For others, the procession is an expression of gratitude rather than a petition. “I’m doing this devotion to thank God for the everyday grace he bestowed upon me. I’m thankful for my life,” said Mefumi Sugimoto, an 18-year-old seminarian. The Manila Public Information Office estimated that 7,337,700 devotees joined the march along the 5.8-kilometre route through the capital. Authorities deployed thousands of security personnel, health workers and volunteers along the route, as participants regularly suffer from heat exhaustion and minor injuries during the prolonged procession. The Black Nazarene originated in Mexico and arrived in the Philippines in the 17th century during Spanish colonial rule. According to tradition, the statue darkened after surviving a fire aboard the ship that carried it across the Pacific. Catholic researcher Sabino Vengco has argued that the figure’s colour is instead the natural result of the mesquite wood from which it was carved."