Traslacion 2027: Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Date, Route and Road Closures

The essentials

• Date: Saturday 9 January 2027. The feast is celebrated every 9 January.
• Theme: "Tuwirin ninyo ang daraanan ng Panginoon" ("Make straight the way for the Lord"), from John 1:23.
• Novena: Quiapo Church holds novena Masses for the Nazareno from 31 December to 8 January.
• Route and start time for 2027: not announced when we checked on 4 November 2026.
• Holiday: 9 January 2027 is not on the national list of 2027 holidays. In 2026, Malacañang declared a special non-working day in the City of Manila three days before the feast.
• Last year: the procession left the Quirino Grandstand at 4AM on 9 January 2026 and reached Quiapo Church at about 10:50AM the next day, after 30 hours and 50 minutes.

What the Traslacion is

The Jesus Nazareno is a dark wooden image of Christ carrying the cross, kept at the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno, better known as Quiapo Church. Traslacion means "transfer". The Inquirer describes the procession as a reenactment of the 1787 transfer of the image from its first shrine in Bagumbayan, now Rizal Park, to Quiapo Church.

Devotees, many of them barefoot, pull the andas, the carriage that carries the image, with ropes. Quiapo Church says many try to touch the statue or the cross with their towels as it passes. Before the procession come the Pahalik, two days of public veneration of the image, and the Misa Mayor, the High Mass that opens the feast.

What is confirmed for 2027

• The date: Saturday 9 January 2027.
• The theme and logo: Quiapo Church posted the official Nazareno 2027 logo on its Facebook page on Saturday 10 October 2026, as reported by the Inquirer. It shows Jesus, Saint John the Baptist, the church and the procession ropes. The church called it "an invitation for every devotee to continue walking the path of faith, devotion, and mission with and toward Jesus Nazarene."
• The novena: Quiapo Church's own page says the novena "starts at the 31st of December and ends during the 8th of January before the Traslacion."

Changes are possible. After the 2026 procession, Philstar reported that the police were considering a new andas design and a shorter route. Nothing had been confirmed when we checked.

Last year's route

This is the 2026 route as published by Quiapo Church and reported by GMA News. It was 5.8 kilometres long. The 2027 route may differ.

• Quirino Grandstand, left to Katigbak Drive
• Right to Padre Burgos Street, through Finance Road
• Straight to Ayala Boulevard
• Left to Palanca, right to Quezon Boulevard
• Right to Arlegui, Fraternal and Vergara Streets
• Left to Duque de Alba, Castillejos and Farnecio Streets
• Right to Arlegui, left to Nepomuceno and Concepcion Aguila Streets
• Right to Carcer Street, right to Hidalgo Street through Plaza del Carmen
• Left to Bilibid Viejo, right to Z.P. de Guzman and Hidalgo Streets
• Left to Quezon Boulevard, right to Palanca Street under Quezon Bridge
• Right to Villalobos Street, through Plaza Miranda to Quiapo Church

The andas stops at San Sebastian Church for the Dungaw, a traditional pause on the way. Last year the Dungaw took place at 4:05AM on Saturday 10 January, a full day after the andas left the Grandstand, as reported by the Inquirer.

Road closures

Not announced for 2027 when we checked. Last year the Manila Police District closed roads from 9PM on 8 January, including Bonifacio Drive, Katigbak Drive, P. Burgos, Finance Road, Taft Avenue, Ayala Boulevard, C. Palanca, Quezon Boulevard, Legarda, MacArthur Bridge and Jones Bridge, as reported by PhilSTAR Life. Streets along the route also closed as the procession passed.

If you drive through Manila that weekend, expect closures from the evening before and plan a route that avoids Ermita, Quiapo and San Miguel.

Trains

Not announced for 2027 when we checked. Last year LRT-2 allowed barefoot devotees to ride on 9 January, kept regular operating hours and kept its "No Inspection, No Entry" rule, as reported by GMA News. LRT-1 also ran regular hours, as reported by Abante. LRT-1's Carriedo Station is the closest to Quiapo Church, and LRT-2's Recto Station connects to LRT-1 at Doroteo Jose.

Is 9 January 2027 a holiday in Manila?

Not yet. Proclamation No. 1427, the list of 2027 holidays signed on 8 September 2026, does not include 9 January. Last year the special non-working day came by a separate order: Proclamation No. 1126, signed on 6 January 2026, declared Friday 9 January 2026 "a special (non-working) day in the City of Manila", at the city's request, "to ensure orderly procession of devotees and to facilitate the flow of traffic."

In 2027 the feast falls on a Saturday, so a declaration matters less for offices. Watch the Manila Public Information Office in the first week of January.

If you are going

Last year the feast drew a very large crowd: Quiapo Church counted 9,640,290 participants across the activities from 31 December to 10 January. The church reported 1,057 medical cases during the procession, and Philstar reported four deaths. Go prepared:

• Expect a long wait. Last year church officials estimated 150,000 people at the church by 6PM on 9 January, more than 16 hours before the andas arrived.
• Use the posted entry and exit points. Last year the church shared entry and exit points, portalets and LED viewing screens.
• Carry little. A phone, ID, water and cash in a front pocket.
• Go with someone, and agree on a meeting point away from the route.
• Check the church's page on the morning of the feast for the location of the andas.

If you want to avoid it

Stay clear of Quiapo, Ermita, Rizal Park and the bridges into Quiapo from the evening of 8 January into 10 January. The procession can run more than a day, so do not plan on roads reopening by the night of the 9th.

For the rest of the season, see our Simbang Gabi guide, our explainer on getting around Manila and the January 2027 calendar.

Questions people ask

When is the Traslacion 2027? On Saturday 9 January 2027, the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno. The start time had not been announced when we checked on 4 November 2026. Last year the procession left the Quirino Grandstand at 4AM.

What is the Traslacion route for 2027? Not announced when we checked on 4 November 2026. Last year's route ran 5.8 kilometres from the Quirino Grandstand along Ayala Boulevard and through Quiapo to Plaza Miranda and Quiapo Church.

Is 9 January 2027 a holiday in Manila? It is not on the national holiday list for 2027. In 2026 Malacañang declared a special non-working day in the City of Manila on 6 January, three days before the feast.

How long does the Traslacion take? In 2026 it took 30 hours and 50 minutes, the longest on record. In 2025 it took 20 hours and 45 minutes.

What is the theme of Nazareno 2027? "Tuwirin ninyo ang daraanan ng Panginoon," or "Make straight the way for the Lord," from John 1:23.

Are the LRT trains running on the feast day? Last year LRT-1 and LRT-2 ran regular hours, and LRT-2 allowed barefoot devotees on board. The 2027 advisories had not been posted when we checked.

Last year's details come from Quiapo Church, the Lawphil copy of Proclamation No. 1126, and GMA News, the Inquirer, Philstar, PhilSTAR Life, the Manila Standard and Abante, as named. We will update this page when Quiapo Church, the City of Manila and the train lines post their 2027 advisories. Checked 4 November 2026.