Filipino Catholics reenacted the crucifixion of Jesus after many of them marched through the streets whipping themselves and lacerating their backs with razorblades.
Gruesome footage from across the Southeast Asian country showed masked devotees performing the acts of self-inflicted pain to mark the Holy Week in a bloody religious ritual to atone for their sins.
Though frowned upon by the Church, the gruesome re-enactments of Christ’s final moments draw thousands of believers – and tourists – in a carnival-like atmosphere that is big business for locals.
Filipino Catholics reenacted the crucifixion of Jesus, nailing themselves to crosses for several minutes to show their extreme devotion
Eight people had 8cm spikes driven through their palms and feet in hot, dry fields meant to echo the site where Christ was crucified some 2,000 years ago, while actors dressed as Roman soldiers completed the picture
Among an otherwise male field of penitents was 39-year-old Mary Jane Sazon, who made her seventh trip up onto the cross
Filipino penitent Ruben Enaje is nailed to a wooden cross for the 32nd year on Good Friday in San Pedro Cutud village, San Fernando, Pampanga, north of Manila
While the ordeal is undeniably painful, the penitents’ weight rests on a wooden step and they spend only a few moments nailed to the cross before being carried to the medical tent for treatment
The devotees are lifted up after being nailed to their crosses, just as Roman soldiers would have done to Jesus
Bloodied worshipers kneel in front of the crosses used to crucify several of them in extreme atonement
In a collection of towns located north of Manila, eight people had 8cm spikes driven through their palms and feet in hot, dry fields meant to echo the site where Christ was crucified some 2,000 years ago.
Among an otherwise male field of penitents was 39-year-old Mary Jane Sazon, who made her seventh trip up onto the cross.
‘Fulfilling my vow is important to me because ever since I started this the Lord answers my prayers,’ Sazon told reporters as she pushed her dark hair back with freshly bandaged hands.
She would not be drawn on being the only woman crucified on Friday, saying ‘I don’t care what other people might say.’
They earlier marched through the streets whipping themselves in a bloody religious ritual to atone for their sins
Gruesome footage from the sleepy town of Pakil, about 70km east of Manila, shows masked devotees performing the acts of self-inflicted pain to mark the Holy Week
Hugas Dugo flagellants gathers in town plaza and start whipping themselves. The town plaza is the first station where their backs will get cut with a razor blade
The gory scenes are traditional in small towns of the primarily Catholic nation before Easter
Penitents performing self-flagellation to atone for their sins, lie on the ground to pray inside a Catholic church during Maundy Thursday Lenten rites in Manila
Scores of bare-chested men, some of whose faces were concealed by hoods, lashed their backs bloody, as they walked through the streets before selfie-snapping onlookers
The swinging of their whips left droplets of blood on cars, houses and even bottles of soda displayed on snack vendors’ tables that lined the road
While the ordeal is undeniably painful, the penitents’ weight rests on a wooden step and they spend only a few moments nailed to the cross before being carried to the medical tent for treatment.
At the same time, scores of bare-chested men, some of whose faces were concealed by hoods, lashed their backs bloody, as they walked through the streets before selfie-snapping onlookers.
The swinging of their whips left droplets of blood on cars, houses and even bottles of soda displayed on snack vendors’ tables that lined the road.
They struck their backs with wooden rods, one for each station of the cross as depicted in Catholic tradition of Jesus’ walk to the hill of Golgotha where he was crucified.
‘If one of my family members gets sick, this is what we do,’ said Norman Lapuot, 25, as he flogged himself with a bamboo-tipped whip. ‘I do this for my relatives.’
Though a majority of the Philippines’ 80 million Catholics spend Good Friday at church or with family, participants undergo the ordeal to atone for sins or to seek divine intervention
In addition to whipping themselves, extreme Catholics cut themselves with razor blades to bleed as Jesus did
The gory scenes are traditional in small towns of the primarily Catholic nation before Easter as a form of worship believed to cleanse sins, cure illness, and grant wishes.
‘If one of my family members gets sick, this is what we do,’ said Norman Lapuot, 25, as he flogged himself with a bamboo-tipped whip. ‘I do this for my relatives.’
Mr Lapuot, who said it was his fourth time taking part in the ceremony, added that he believed the ritual bloodletting had helped his grandfather recover from a stroke.
Though a majority of the Philippines’ 80 million Catholics spend Good Friday at church or with family, participants undergo the ordeal to atone for sins or to seek divine intervention.
A flagellants back is being cut dozens of times with a razor blade to cause pain like what Jesus suffered in his execution
Devotees cut each other’s backs after tearing away a section of their shirts which will soon be covered in blood
The extreme form of worship is believed to cleanse sins, cure illness, and grant wishes
Flagellants meet at the bottom of Rizal bridge in the town of Pakil. They would dress themselves with dried banana leaves for aesthetic purpose and to catch dripping blood from their back
The gruesome sights left some of the roughly 12,000 in attendance wide-eyed and wincing with vicarious pain
The mock crucifixions and other self-punishments on Good Friday have been going on for decades despite official disapproval from the nation’s dominant Catholic Church
Food stalls, cab drivers and even souvenir stands get a boost from the event which draws thousands of visitors every year
Nearly 80 percent of people in the Philippines are Catholic, a legacy of the nation’s 300 years of Spanish colonial rule that ended at the turn of the 20th century
The gruesome sights left some of the roughly 12,000 in attendance wide-eyed and wincing with vicarious pain.
‘The most terrifying was the feet part, when the guy was screaming very loud,’ 28-year-old Juliette Pawinska, said, referring to when the spikes were driven in during one crucifixion.
‘I actually felt the pain that he felt,’ added the Polish national, who lives in the Philippines and works as a computer programmer.
The mock crucifixions on Good Friday have been going on for decades despite official disapproval from the nation’s dominant Catholic Church.
They struck their backs with wooden rods, one for each station of the cross as depicted in Catholic tradition of Jesus’ walk to the hill of Golgotha where he was crucified
The practice is condemned by the Catholic Church as being too extreme but that doesn’t stop hundreds form doing it
Large crowds of spectators including children lined the sweltering streets to behold the extreme show of faith
The march continued into the night even s participants lost plenty of blood from their wounds
Night time did not stop continued cutting with razor blades as torches were used to aid the grisly process
‘The Church never encourages self-flagellation, much less crucifixion,’ Father Roy Bellen, a spokesman for the archdiocese of Manila, said.
‘All sacrifices being asked from Catholics during Lent and Holy Week should lead to actions that benefit the poor and the needy,’ he added.
Food stalls, cab drivers and even souvenir stands get a boost from the event which draws thousands of visitors every year.
Rose Anne Galang, whose full-time job is as a factory worker, said she pulled in some extra cash selling pork dumplings to hungry tourists.
‘It’s my first time, but business was really good,’ she added with a smile. ‘I’ll be back next year.’
Joined by hundred of Christians, leader of the Catholic Church in Kenya, Cardinal John Njue carries a cross through the streets of Nairobi, Kenya
Meanwhile in India, Catholics reenacted the crucifixion in a less extreme way, with passion plays in town squares
An actor played Jesus alongside Roman soldiers and other Biblical figures and played out Jesus’ last hours
The actor appeared to not be significantly harmed during the Good Friday presentation that was watched by hundreds of Christian onlookers in the Hindu-majority country
Nearly 80 percent of people in the Philippines are Catholic, a legacy of the nation’s 300 years of Spanish colonial rule that ended at the turn of the 20th century.
Meanwhile in India, Catholics reenacted the crucifixion in a less extreme way, with passion plays in town squares where an actor played Jesus alongside Roman soldiers and other Biblical figures.
The actor appeared to not be significantly harmed during the Good Friday presentation that was watched by hundreds of Christian onlookers in the Hindu-majority country.
Similar scenes played out in Sydney as 24-year-old student Alec Green carried a cross down Martin Place in the CBD as hundreds followed on either side to watch the spectacle.
His effort was part of a more contemporary retelling of Jesus’ last hours, using milk crates as sets.
Similar scenes played out in Sydney as 24-year-old student Alec Green carried a cross down Martin Place
Hundreds followed on either side of the CBD shopping and business strip to watch the spectacle
Mr Green had a look of pain and concentration as he walked with the heavy wooden cross
He was accompanied by a a priest wearing regalia, along with hundreds of onlookers as he made his walk
His effort was part of a more contemporary retelling of Jesus’ last hours, using milk crates as sets
A different procession in Sydney, this time with the actor playing Jesus dressed up in rags with fake blood on his forehead and clothes
Another reenactment didn’t go as well with the actor playing Jesus (pictured) attacked over a personal dispute in front of a congregation on the Gold Coast.
The procession was otherwise somber as light rain fell and churchgoers put their voices to prayer and song as they walked with ‘Jesus’, who carried a wooden cross to symbolise the crucifixion
Another reenactment didn’t go as well with the actor playing Jesus attacked over a personal dispute in front of a congregation on the Gold Coast.
A man approached the actor, named only as Marco, and shoved him to the ground and threatened him after a verbal argument at the Sacred Heart Church at Clear Island Waters.
The procession was otherwise somber as light rain fell and churchgoers put their voices to prayer and song as they walked with ‘Jesus’, who carried a wooden cross to symbolise the crucifixion.
Across the world in Granada, Nicaragua, Catholic faithful took part in the Viacrucis Aquatic earlier this week on boats between the islets of Lake Cocibolca.
In Granada, worshipers in red robes and KKK-style white masks held ceremonies and marched through the streets carrying a figure of Jesus with an elaborately decorated cross on his shoulder, flanked by two angels and a lamb.
The Jesus of the Great Power procession started at the La Merced church with devotees assembling and holding small figures of Jesus carrying his cross dressed in similar robes to them
A small boy dressed up in purple robes and headgear meant to represent Jesus’ crown of thorns with blood drawn on his forehead
The procession of boats carried the venerated image of Jesus with his hands tied, on boats decorated with flowers and flags followed by hundreds of believers in 40 other vessels.
They complete 14 stations of the cross from Catholic tradition and was started in 1980 by pastor Omar Cordero of the Church of Guadalupe as a way for islanders to mark to occasion.
‘That is why he chose to move the tradition in an aquatic way. At first it was done in rowing boats, which year after year has increased and to date has reached great popularity,’ Juan Ramon Estrada, tour guide of the Nicaraguan Institute of Culture, said.
Elsewhere in Granada worshipers in red robes and KKK-style white masks held ceremonies and marched through the streets carrying a figure of Jesus with an elaborately decorated cross on his shoulder, flanked by two angels and a lamb.
The Jesus of the Great Power procession started at the La Merced church with devotees assembling and holding small figures of Jesus carrying his cross dressed in similar robes to them.
In Granada, Nicaragua, Catholic faithful took part in the Viacrucis Aquatic earlier this week on boats between the islets of Lake Cocibolca
The procession of boats carried the venerated image of Jesus with his hands tied, on boats decorated with flowers and flags followed by hundreds of believers in 40 other vessels
They complete 14 stations of the cross from Catholic tradition and was started in 1980 by pastor Omar Cordero of the Church of Guadalupe as a way for islanders to mark to occasion