Millions join Manila Catholic procession amid high security

MANILA — A massive crowd of mostly barefoot Filipino Catholics joined an annual religious procession on Monday under tight security due to fears of a possible extremist attack. The pilgrims walked Manila’s concrete streets as the temperature climbed above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) without footwear as a sign of penance. As the procession continued into the night, the Philippine Red Cross said its medical staff had treated about 1,200 people along the route for dizziness, bruising and sprains. However, there were no major casualties. The statue is called the Black Nazarene because of its charred color, believed to have occurred when it survived a fire aboard a ship when being brought to the Philippines from Mexico. President Rodrigo Duterte often gives conflicting signals about his religious convictions and criticizes the Church’s leaders, but he offered encouragement on Monday to those involved in the procession.