MANILA - On January 9, devotees will once again brave a crowd of millions to join the annual procession of the centuries-old image of the Black Nazarene, believed to grant healing and other prayers.

It has been so every year: barefoot devotees desperate to touch the image would gather around its carriage as it crawls through the capital's narrow streets in a procession to Quiapo church that could take more than 20 hours.

Despite its popularity, some have hit devotees for "idolatry" during the risky rite, where several have died amid the crush of thousands scrambling to touch the image.

But for Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, only those who do not know how to love will question the devotees' way of expressing their faith and their yearning to get close to God.

For him, it is the devotees' "language of love" and "language of the heart."

"Ang nagmamahal ay may kaniya-kaniyang pamamaraan to express ang kanilang pagmamahal at kung 'yan ang expression ng pagmamahal ng mga tao na maging malapit sa Diyos ay dapat na 'yan ay igalang natin," Pabillo said in an interview with Radio Veritas.

[A person who loves has his or her own ways of expressing love, and if such expression brings them closer to God, then we should respect that.]

"Hindi naman nakakasama 'yung ganyang pagpapahayag ng pagmamahal. Nagpapalapit pa nga sa kanila sa Panginoong Diyos at ayaw ba natin na malapit ang mga tao sa Diyos? 'Yan po ay language of love, language of the heart, at hindi 'yan language of the mind kaya dapat 'yan igalang natin 'yan," the bishop added.

[There's nothing wrong with such expression of love. It brings people closer to God, don't we want that? That is the language of love, language of the heart, and not the language of the mind that's why we need to respect that.]

Fr. Douglas Badong, Parochial Vicar of Quiapo Church, said they are doing everything to further the spiritual growth of Black Nazarene devotees.

Among the throngs of people who will participate in the annual spectacle, Fr. Badong said they want to promote an atmosphere of prayer and further understanding of what it truly means to be a Nazarene devotee.

"'Yun po ang hangad ng Simbahan na matulungan sila na mapalalim at maunawaan ang pagiging deboto. 'Yun nga lamang, malaking hamon dahil every year ang dumadating na bagong deboto, walang formation, hindi nag-a-attend sa simbahan," the priest said.

[The Church's aim is to help the people deepen their devotion and make them understand the true meaning of being a devotee. It's a challenge for us because every year, new devotees would come without undergoing spiritual formation, they do not necessarily attend programs at the Church.]

This year, around 5,000 policemen are tasked to ensure the security of those who will attend the procession. Some 2,000 Philippine Red Cross (PRC) volunteers will also be deployed to provide first aid and assistance to devotees.

• Red Cross to deploy 2,000 volunteers for Black Nazarene feast

The local government has also ordered a gun ban in the city from January 8 to 10. Aside from the gun ban, Manila Police District Chief Supt. Joel Coronel also announced a proposal seeking to impose a ban on the sale, distribution, and consumption of liquor on the day of the Black Nazarene procession.