Days after the city government in Manila suspended Traslacion for the second time, Pope Francis has also canceled the Roman Catholic tradition of veneration of Immaculate Conception to discouage huge public gathering on December 8.
WHEN in Rome, do as the Romans do; except forming a huge crowd.
Pope Francis has canceled the tradition of public gathering at the Spanish Steps for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
To avoid the risk of spreading Covid-19, the Pope will instead perform a private act of devotion to Our Lady “to protect the Romans, the city in which they live, and the sick who need Her maternal protection everywhere in the world”.
Vatican’s announcement came after the Italian government unveiled further travel and accessibility restrictions due to the new Covid-19 variant, Omicron.
This marks the second year the Pope has canceled the traditional public gathering.
In 2020, he made a surprise visit at the Immaculate Conception statue near the Spanish Steps on the morning of Dec. 8 and laid a bouquet of white roses.
In the Philippines, the image of the Immaculate Conception in Malolos Cathedral is especially venerated on December 8.
The Cathedral will be holding hourly masses and a procession.
The biggest crowd-puller, however, is the annual Traslacion for the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9.
Quiapo Chuch and the City of Manila have agreed to cancel the procession anew.
Last year, at least 22,000 devotees braved the pandemic to at least glimpse the Black Nazarene statue of Jesus Christ inside the church.
For 2022, it was suggested that it could instead be celebrated through a motorcade in select areas in Manila.
To avoid the swarm of people that insisted on going to Quiapo Church, Manila Police District Director Gen. Leo Francisco said that a minimum of 8,000 police personnel will be deployed during the celebration.
The plans may still change depending on Manila’s alert level by January 2022.
Tags: #publicveneration, #traslacion, #popefrancis, #canceled