This is the heroic moment a stray dog was rescued amid a crowd of devotees during the Nazarene festival in the Philippines.

Dramatic footage by worshipper June Paulo Galindez shows a man climbing a fence and post while carrying a dog in Manila on January 9.

June said: 'I don't know where the dog came from. At that time, the crowd was getting bigger because the Black Nazarene was approaching.

'To avoid the dog getting hurt, some devotees tried to get it inside the gate by passing it between the bars.'

A heroic pilgrim volunteered to pass the distressed canine inside the San Sebastian Church compound. A police officer was waiting on the other side to assist and catch the pooch.

Devotees cheered as the dog was safely brought inside before the footage ended.

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

Zealous worshippers would spill out onto the procession route, jostling for a chance to touch the statue, which is said to have healing powers.

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

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.