Saturday, April 3, 2010
In these disturbing pictures, Filipinos indulge in what has become an annual ritual where they are nailed to crosses and whipped in an annual ritual to celebrate Good Friday.
Dozens of men and women were crucified in villages across this heavily Roman Catholic country, in one of the world’s most bizarre practices anywhere to mark the day when Christians believe Jesus Christ was put to death.
Here, a man is nailed to a wooden cross through his hands. He was one of 23 people from his village who engaged in this ritual.
Above, is 34-year-old Mary Jane Mamangon. A rice cake vendor, was the lone female devotee to be nailed to a cross this year in San Juan village. It was her 14th time.
The ritual reenactment has taken place for the last 33 years, ending at 3PM. The exact time Catholics believe Jesus died on the cross.
About 80 per cent of the population of more than 90 million people in the Philippines are Roman Catholic.
While the Vatican doesn’t officially condone this savage ritual, local Roman Catholic priests do absolutely nothing to discourage it either.
From the Left 
I understand how people want to live like Jesus but to have yourself mutilated to display your devotion is just as disturbing as those Christian parents who reject modern medicine and insist on using prayer to heal their children’s treatable illnesses.
I was stationed in the Philippines for 9 months.
The largest island in the south, Mindanao, is 100% Muslim. I wonder what they think about the radical Catholic majority who engage in this sort of thing?
Ah yes. The Philippines, one of the poorest societies on Earth. And why is that?
You betcha.
I’m just loving this! It’s too bad they don’t handle their Pedophile priests this way!
These images are very disturbing. I have a friend who visited Manila and she said the poverty was like nothing she saw in any other part of Asia. Children on the streets picking lice off each others heads in the shadow of million dollar condo towers. Of course the Catholic church reigns supreme there. My guess is, the Vatican counts on the poorest and least educated to support them.
I’ve heard of this before – I didn’t realize they actually nailed their hands up. Which I guess is why they’re also tied to the crosses, as those nails would just pull right through their hands.
It’s not much sicker than the self-induced violence orgy the hardcores here wanted when they went to see that “movie” Passion of the Christ. I’m a horror fan, blood and gore don’t bother me, but that movie made me cringe in places. Oy, they really showed what brutality they like to see with that one.
The Filipinos have had a rough history. Foreign invaders, occupiers and exploitation.
In WWII, the were occupied by the Japanese and lost hundreds of thousands of people. They had rubber, and Japan had few natural resources but they needed rubber for airplane tires.
When I see this, on the one hand it makes me sad to think people think this way and believe recreating the Jesus on the Cross story will heal sick loved ones.
On the other hand, where is the government?
Why need to ban such practices and educate rural, uninformed Filipinos that nailing themselves to a cross is harmful to their bodies.
Conejo1982 – From what I know about the Filipino government, it is terribly corrupt and unable and unwilling to stand between the Catholic church and simple villagers who embrace the church. In fact, the government exploits the poor. Much as the Catholic church exploits the poor.
I’m sure this level of devotion is a source of pride to the Catholic church.
Especially, as sex abuse scandals threaten the very survival of the church.
Mary Jane Mamangon played pin the lady on the cross 14 times. Wow…need attention much?
Doesn’t it hurt to have metal nails hammered into your hands and feet? Methinks these people are certifiably crazy.
The government of the Philippines has an obligation to end such middle age practices. Clearly the Roman Catholic church cannot be expected to do it.
These pictures are extremely troubling.
and one wonders why the Philippines is a poor and uneducated country….
Galatians 2:20 says we are to be crucified with Christ. He meant to kill the natural sinful self, to live for Him. We don’t need to nail ourselves, that’s why He let it happen to Him. He paid the debt we couldn’t afford, to give us access to God if we repent and follow Him.
Galatians 2:20 says we are to crucify ourself (the natural sinful self) to live for Him. Jesus was put on the cross so we wouldn’t have to. He paid the debt we couldn’t afford, to give us access to forgiveness if we repent and follow Him.
Perhaps no Asian country is more a study in contrasts the Philippines.
40% of the 90 million Filipinos live far below the per capita income of $3,500 a year. Many of the poorest of the poor Filipinos subsist on $20 a year. Ranking this poverty level equal to the African nation of Malawi.
Consider the country spends 90% of it’s total budget on debt repayments and the government payroll. Leaving just 10% for schools, hospitals, water and electrification projects.
In and around Manila, a sprawling city of high rise buildings and malls, live millions of Filipinos in what amounts to nothing more than a shack with no electricity or running water. These shanties are breeding ground for disease and the disaffected.
No wonder Islamic extremists look to the slums are places to recruit young men to join extremist groups in the southern island district of Mindanao province. Happy people do not join extremist groups.
Filipino social critics, ordinary farmers, teachers, and nurses and bus drivers all agree that a huge contributing force to poverty in the Philippines can be found in extremely unequal income distribution.
I agree with this point of view.
Hi Santos – Great post. You brought up a number of interesting points about the Philippines. I hear good and bad things about it. The Filipino people I work with are great people but they left and live here.
In the Philippines, it really happened during lenten season esp. Good Friday and Holy Thursday. Some priest were against it so do with bishops however, it is a tradition acquired from the Spaniards. Though its painful but the offerer can experience fulfillness and satisfaction to imitate Christ in that way. It’s self-mortification, though it can’t take away sin. Nailing on the cross that way is nothing compared with that of Jesus’ passion. If Jesus, a true man (and God) endured it, why can’t they (we too)?
The only bad thing is that most of them thought that that sacrifice can take away sins or cure sickness! However, through faith, it may happen!