Huge crowd of Catholics pray for peace in Middle East at start of the Philippines' annual Black Nazarene procession where MILLIONS clamour to touch statue of Jesus

A teeming crowd of barefoot Filipinos prayed for peace in the Middle East on Thursday before rushing to try and touch a centuries-old black statue of Jesus Christ during one of the world's largest Catholic festivals, the Daily Mail reports. 

The day-long procession of the wooden Black Nazarene draws massive numbers of largely poor devotees who pray for the sick and a better life. 

This year, widespread fears over the conflict between the United States and Iran were highlighted in a predawn Mass on the streets of the capital Manila.

More than 12,000 police, including bomb squads, snipers and helicopter-borne teams, were deployed to secure the procession, though authorities said they have not monitored any specific threat.

Aside from ensuring safety and order, police worked to clear the streets in front of the carriage bearing the statue. Guns and liquor were banned and cellphone signals were jammed in parts of Manila.

Devotees who were pushed back when they tried to touch the statue complained, but despite the security and the tropical heat, mobs of people dangerously squeezed into a tight pack of humanity around the carriage. 

They threw small towels at volunteers on the carriage for them to wipe parts of the statue and toss the towels back, believing the Nazarene's powers can cure ailments and do other miracles.

Dozens of people fainted or sustained injuries and were carried away on stretchers by Red Cross volunteers.