On January 9, hundreds of thousands of Catholic devotees in Manila, Philippines, took part in a barefoot procession lasting 22 hours, carrying a centuries-old icon of Jesus Christ through the streets as worshipers climbed over each other to kiss, touch, or rub bits of cloth on the statue. The Black Nazarene is an ebony statue of Jesus Christ brought to the Philippines in 1606, and is believed to have miraculous powers. Organizers said that events related to the annual festival were expected to draw about 15 million people to Manila this year.
The Procession of the Black Nazarene
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Read moreFilipino Roman Catholic devotees climb the carriage to kiss and rub with their towels the image of the Black Nazarene to celebrate its feast day on January 9, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. #
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Read moreDevotees carry the image of the Black Nazarene for a procession to celebrate its feast day in Manila on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreRoman Catholics throng around the the image of the Black Nazarene in Manila on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreDevotees hold ropes pulling the carriage of the Black Nazarene as they parade in Manila on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreFilipino Roman Catholic devotees climb the carriage of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreDevotees watch as a replica of the Black Nazarene is carried along a road during a procession in Manila on January 7, 2017. #
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Read moreFilipino Roman Catholic devotees climb the carriage to kiss and rub with towels the image of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreA man pulls a devotee as they try to touch the statue of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreDevotees throng around a replica of the Black Nazarene in Manila on January 7, 2017. #
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Read moreDevotees climb the carriage to kiss the image of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreDevotees raise their hands as they parade the black statue of Jesus Christ during the annual Black Nazarene Catholic religious feast in Manila, Philippines, on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreDevotees carry a woman who fainted while taking part in the annual procession of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreFilipino devotees jostle each other as they try to touch the statue of the Black Nazarene during the annual religious procession in Manila on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreDevotees occupy Jones bridge as they take part in the annual procession of the Black Nazarene in metro Manila on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreDevotees join the annual procession with the religious icon of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreFilipino devotees jostle each other as they join the procession in honor of the statue of the Black Nazarene during the annual religious procession on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreA volunteer with the fire service douses devotees with water as they take part in the procession of the Black Nazarene in Manila on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreChristian devotees climb to touch the image of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2017. #
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Read moreA devotee collapses during the procession of Black Nazarene along a road in Manila on January 7, 2017. #
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Read moreChristian devotees climb to touch the image of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. #
Dondi Tawatao / Getty
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