Thousands of devotees filled the streets for an annual Catholic procession in the Philippines.

Religious locals gathered around the Quiapo Church in the capital city Manila, where the image of the Black Nazarene depicting Jesus Christ carrying a cross was set to arrive during the religious festival on January 9.

Drone footage shows the sea of devotees crowding the church grounds and surrounding streets on Thursday afternoon.

The event is a grand spectacle of devotion in the predominantly Catholic country, and is held yearly to commemorate the transfer of the statue to the church.

Zealous worshippers would spill out on the procession route and jostle for a chance to touch the statue, which is said to have miraculous healing powers.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said an estimated 7.9 million people attended procession this year.

The Nazareno Command Centre said the march lasted around 21 hours and ended at around 1:25 am local time today because one of the ropes towing the carriage had snapped.

In a statement, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said: 'As thousands walk barefoot in prayer and sacrifice, we are reminded that no burden is too heavy when carried with faith. May this day inspire us to care for one another and hold firm in the belief that our better days are ahead.'

The Feast of Jesus Nazareno, or the Black Nazarene, commemorates the transfer of the life-sized statue to its current home at Quiapo Church in Manila.

The centuries-old image carrying a cross is believed to be miraculous and was originally brought to the Philippines by Augustinian missionaries from Mexico in 1606. Its dark colour is attributed to the statue surviving a fire.

Catholicism was introduced to the Philippines by Spanish missionaries in the 16th century, quickly becoming the country's dominant religion.

Over the centuries, it has become deeply ingrained in Filipino culture and society - rivaled only by Americanism introduced by the 'Yanks' when the United States occupied the Philippines from 1898 to 1946.