Baclaran Redemptorist Church - Manila, Philippines

The Baclaran Phenomenon is, first and foremost, the incredible number of people who come to the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran every Wednesday to make the Perpetual Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. It is estimated that at least 100,000 devotees come on regular Wednesdays, reaching about 120,000 on the First Wednesday of each month. The biggest turnout of the year is on Ash Wednesday. The crowd for that day simply defies estimate.This novena began here almost 50 years ago on June 23, 1948. Not only has the number of devotees continued, it is still growing. Formerly, only during the 5 PM and 6 PM novena did people overflow from the church to the parking lot. But it is only 3 PM of an ordinary Wednesday as I look out from the balcony of the Redemptorist convento, and an overflow crowd is already spilling out of the church.