Screaming in pain, some devotees had themselves nailed to wooden crosses to mimic the suffering of Jesus Christ on Good Friday in Asia’s largest Roman Catholic nation.
Philippines has a majority of Christians and are mostly Roman Catholics.
Reports say a 54-yr-old painter, Ruben Enaje,
was among half a dozen men whose hands and feet were rubbed with
alcohol before locals dressed as Roman soldiers hammered sterilized
nails into his flesh.
was among half a dozen men whose hands and feet were rubbed with
alcohol before locals dressed as Roman soldiers hammered sterilized
nails into his flesh.
Enaje has repeated this same act act for the last 29 years as part of giving thanks after surviving a fall from a building, New York Post says.
This
year, he added a gadget — a small microphone near his mouth, although a
technical glitch made it difficult to hear him utter Christ’s last
words.
year, he added a gadget — a small microphone near his mouth, although a
technical glitch made it difficult to hear him utter Christ’s last
words.
The reenactment of Christ’s Crucifixion at a
dusty mound in San Pedro Cutud village drew at least 4,000 spectators
and tourists, dozens of them foreigners.
dusty mound in San Pedro Cutud village drew at least 4,000 spectators
and tourists, dozens of them foreigners.
Unlike in
the past, organizers this year banned foreigners from being nailed to
crosses to prevent the event from “becoming a circus,” said Councilor
Harvey Quiwa.
the past, organizers this year banned foreigners from being nailed to
crosses to prevent the event from “becoming a circus,” said Councilor
Harvey Quiwa.
After they were lowered from the
crosses, medical workers carried the devotees on stretchers and made
sure there were no complications from their injuries.
crosses, medical workers carried the devotees on stretchers and made
sure there were no complications from their injuries.
“I think it takes an incredible amount of dedication and commitment to really go through something like that,” said American tourist Tracy Sengillo. “It’s really fascinating.”
Devotees
undergo the crucifixions in the belief that such extreme sacrifices are
a way to atone for their sins, attain miracle cures for illnesses or
give thanks to God.
undergo the crucifixions in the belief that such extreme sacrifices are
a way to atone for their sins, attain miracle cures for illnesses or
give thanks to God.
Similar re-enactments were
held in other villages around Pampanga and in other provinces, but San
Pedro Cutud attracts the most crowds.
held in other villages around Pampanga and in other provinces, but San
Pedro Cutud attracts the most crowds.
Before the
crucifixions, hundreds of barefoot devotees walked the streets, whipping
their bare backs with bamboo sticks dangling from ropes.
crucifixions, hundreds of barefoot devotees walked the streets, whipping
their bare backs with bamboo sticks dangling from ropes.
“I started doing this when my mother got sick, kidney problem. I vowed and prayed to God so that she could be cured,” said an electrician, 25-yr-old Marvin Tao, who has been a flagellant for nine years.
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