Tightened security at Quezon pilgrimage site during Holy Week

JOURNEY OF FAITH Pilgrims wait patiently in line to get close to the 15.24-meter (50-foot) Risen Christ statue at Kamay ni Hesus shrine in Lucban, Quezon, in this file photo, as police enforce heightened security measures, including body inspections and controlled crowd management, to ensure a safe Holy Week observance. —DELFIN T. MALLARI JR.

LUCENA CITY — Pilgrims visiting the Kamay ni Hesus (KNH) shrine in Lucban, Quezon, this Holy Week will encounter heightened security amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

“Due to ongoing conflict and potential retaliatory threats, including from terrorist groups, stricter security measures have been implemented,” said Fr. Joey Faller, shrine administrator, in an online intervie.

He added that visitors should expect body inspections and thorough security checks at all entry points.

Around 200 police personnel will be deployed within and around the five-hectare shrine in Barangay Tinamnan, about two kilometers from the town proper.

Police Brig. Gen. Hansel Marantan, director of Calabarzon Police, and Police Col. Romulo Albacea, Quezon police chief, personally inspected the site and helped finalize the security plan.

Security protocols include intensified intelligence monitoring, K-9 unit deployment, expanded CCTV coverage, and strict inspections at the gates. Police will also conduct questioning to maintain a safe and orderly observance of Holy Week.

Authorities are preparing for an estimated 8 to 10 million visitors this year, although turnout could be affected by the global oil crisis and the state of national emergency, according to Faller.

Last year, about 6 million pilgrims attended, surpassing the previous year’s four million.

Pre-dawn trek

Pilgrims from nearby towns, including Lucena City and Tayabas City, traditionally begin their pre-dawn trek on Good Friday, with residents along the route offering free coffee and water. This year, police patrol cars and Highway Patrol Group motorcycles will lead the penitential hike.

The shrine, built by Faller in 2002 on a hilly part of Barangay Tinamnan, has become one of the country’s most popular Holy Week destinations. Daily Masses are held at the open-air “healing dome,” which accommodates up to 7,000 people, and many devotees believe Faller possesses a gift for curing the sick.

During Holy Week, visitors arrive by bus, car, jeep, and motorcycle in what Faller once described as an “avalanche of faith and devotion.”

Pilgrims climb the 300-step “Stairway to Heaven” to reach the 50-foot (15.24-meter) KNH Risen Christ statue, reportedly the third tallest statue of Jesus in the world, after Bolivia (70 feet) and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (150 feet).

Volunteers and guards will manage the climb in controlled batches to prevent overcrowding and ensure the safety of all pilgrims.