The traditional "Pahalik" or the touching and kissing of the image of the Black Nazarene will remain prohibited this year amid the pandemic, according to the Quiapo Church.
Fr. Douglas Badong, the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene's parochial vicar, told DZRH that devotees may only get close and touch the image but they will not be allowed to kiss it to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19.
"Wala pa rin naman pong Pahalik, 'yun po ang ating ipinapatupad, pero pwede po nilang malapitan yung Nazareno, 'yung image," Badong said in an interview.
(There will still be no Pahalik, that is our implementation. But they may come close to the image of the Black Nazarene.)
"Pwede namang mahawakan kasi masa-sanitize po sila," he also said, adding that volunteers will be present there to sanitize the devotees' hands before they touch the image of the Black Nazarene.
(They may touch it because they will also get sanitized.)
This will be the third year in a row where the traditional "Pahalik" is prohibited to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It also comes as the Department of Health called on the church to continue postponing the tradition because of the pandemic.
Aside from this measure, Badong said they will observe the minimum public health standards as devotees flock to the church ahead and during the Holy Week.
The priest said that there will be designated entrance and exit points in the church, while arriving devotees will need to wear their masks, observe physical distancing, and have their temperatures checked when they go to church.
The church will be open from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with volunteers assigned in different shifts to ensure order.
"Hihinto naman po 'yun pagdating ng Huwebes Santo para lahat po ay naka-focus doon sa pagdiriwang ng mga mahal na araw," Badong said.
(We still stop the arrivals on Maundy Thursday so everyone can focus on the commemoration of the Holy Week.)
More devotees are expected to arrive in Quiapo Church for the commemoration of the Holy Week, which is regarded as the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity.
