This is the chaotic moment Catholics clamoured to touch a black Jesus statue at an annual festival in the Philippines.

Footage shows the sea of devotees dressed in maroon and gold jockeying to climb the carriage being paraded around the capital city Manila on Thursday afternoon.

Locals who managed to come close wiped handkerchiefs and towels on the carriage believing the religious image would imbue them with miraculous properties.

The Feast of Jesus Nazareno is a grand spectacle of devotion in the predominantly Catholic country, and is held yearly to commemorate the transfer of the statue to the Quiapo Church in Manila.

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