The Quiapo Church said Thursday there will still be no procession or “Traslacion” in January next year to mark the feast of the Black Nazarene, a centuries-old wooden statue of Christ.

Fr. Earl Allyson Valdez, the parish’s attached priest, said the safety of everyone is paramount as the pandemic continues.

The priest, however, said other activities related to the religious event will push through, including the touching of the image in Manila’s Quirino Grandstand.

“Although there will be no traditional procession, all our usual activities related to the Feast of the Black Nazarene will continue,” Valdez told DzBB radio.

According to him, there will still be no “pahalik”, a tradition which saw a mammoth of devotees lining up to kiss the image.

On Jan. 9, the actual feast day, hourly Masses will be celebrated at the Quiapo Church starting at 12am.

There will also be Masses in other churches in Metro Manila and other Luzon dioceses where replicas of the image of the Black Nazarene will be displayed to reach more devotees.

“If people are unable to go to Quiapo Church for the feast, the Black Nazarene itself will go to their respective places and churches,” Valdez said.

The priest urged the devotees to observe the health protocols against Covid-19 such as wearing of face masks and maintain physical distancing.

The annual Traslacion or the transfer of the Black Nazarene image from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church, which usually draws millions of devotees, has been put on hold since the pandemic hit.