The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, commonly known as the Quiapo Church, will temporarily close its doors to the public from January 3-6, 2022, following the surge in COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR).
"Mula January 3 hanggang January 6 ay hindi po muna natin pahihintulutan ang pagpasok sa loob ng simbahan ang mga deboto. Kung maari ay huwag na munang pumunta sa simbahan ng Quiapo," said Rev. Fr. Douglas Badong, the church's parochial vicar, in a video message posted on Facebook.
[From January 3-6, we will not allow the entrance of devotees inside the church. We appeal to devotees not to go to Quiapo Church on those dates.]
The church will reopen on January 7, Badong said.
The vicar said the three-day closure of the church would also pave way for its disinfection ahead of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9.
"Ito ay pakikiisa ng Simbahan para maiwasan ang paglaganap ng hawaan ng COVID at makapagbigay-daan po tayo para sa paglilinis, pagdi-disinfect ng simbahan at ng paligid nito bilang paghahanda na rin natin sa napakahalagang araw para sa ating mga deboto," he said.
[This is the Church's contribution in the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and also to give way to the cleanup and disinfection of the church and its surroundings in preparation for an important day for our devotees.]
The traditional Traslacion of the Black Nazarene, which is held every January, will still be suspended in 2022 anew dangers of the COVID-19.
Previously, Badong said the Feast of the Black Nazarene will still be celebrated similarly to what was done in 2021.
This is the second time that the traditional event was canceled following earlier this year due to the pandemic.
Metro Manila has reverted to Alert Level 3 until January 15, 2022, following the surge in its COVID-19 cases.
