{"id":1440744,"date":"2022-04-15T15:59:40","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T19:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1440744"},"modified":"2022-04-15T15:59:58","modified_gmt":"2022-04-15T19:59:58","slug":"philippines-observes-good-friday-with-floggings-but-coronavirus-stalls-traditional-crucifixions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/philippines-observes-good-friday-with-floggings-but-coronavirus-stalls-traditional-crucifixions\/","title":{"rendered":"Philippines Observes Good Friday with Floggings, but Coronavirus Stalls Traditional Crucifixions"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fphilippines-observes-good-friday-with-floggings-but-coronavirus-stalls-traditional-crucifixions%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1440744&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\">\u00a0Catholic believers in the Philippines observed Good Friday this year with traditional self-flagellation rituals known as\u00a0<em>penitensya<\/em> (\u201cpenitence\u201d), marching in bloody processions to acknowledge their sins and be forgiven.<\/p>\n<p>The Philippines hosts a variety of such processions featuring violence, despite the Vatican openly discouraging them, and up to 2019 hosted live crucifixions of participants. More commonly, Filipino believers organize Passion plays and, in Manila, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/250027\/history-black-nazarene-philippines\">Black Nazarene<\/a> procession typically <a href=\"https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/250026\/black-nazarene-philippines-covid\">attracts<\/a>\u00a0millions of people. This year, police called off the procession minutes after it began, claiming the crowd became immediately \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2022\/04\/15\/philippines-observes-good-friday-with-floggings-but-coronavirus-stalls-traditional-crucifixions\/\">unruly<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>The Philippine outlet ABS-CBN <a href=\"https:\/\/news.abs-cbn.com\/news\/04\/15\/22\/watch-filipino-penitents-mark-good-friday-with-floggings\">reported<\/a> on a flagellation procession in Malolos, Bulacan, on Friday in which participants \u201cwhipped their backs in the belief their sins will be forgiven and divine favors will be granted.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&#8220;Kristos&#8221; use\u00a0leather straps or ropes with thorny wires to hit themselves at the back, carry a cross\u00a0through different churches. Some would go further and get crucified on a cross on Good Friday. They consider it a spritual act to seek forgiveness. | <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ABSCBNNews<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DZMMTeleRadyo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DZMMTeleRadyo<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0jhy5Ql17M\">pic.twitter.com\/0jhy5Ql17M<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Nico Bagsic (@nicobagsic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nicobagsic\/status\/1514767724714799108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 15, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">LOOK: Flagellants or &#8220;kristos&#8221; in Malolos, Bulacan walk their way from church to church this Good Friday for the traditional &#8220;penitensya&#8221; (repentance) during Holy Week. | <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ABSCBNNews<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DZMMTeleRadyo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DZMMTeleRadyo<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/f3VEIItQ0T\">pic.twitter.com\/f3VEIItQ0T<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Nico Bagsic (@nicobagsic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nicobagsic\/status\/1514765847520485377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 15, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s punishing but if you have a wish, you will endure the pain,\u201d Roy Balatbat, a participant in Bulacan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/live-news\/20220415-religious-whipping-marks-good-friday-in-the-philippines\">told<\/a> the Agence France-Presse (AFP).\u00a0\u201cI have been doing this for 30 years since I was a young man. My devotion is that I will only stop when I can\u2019t do it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>AFP explained that those who flagellate have others open wounds on their backs initially, so as to maximize the pain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI inflict the wound to the penitents, if there\u2019s not much blood coming out, they\u2019ll ask for another one so their sins would be forgiven,\u201d another participant, Reynaldo Tolentino, explained.<br \/>In Navotas, part of the Metro Manila region, dozens of men engaged in the floggings, leaving their own backs raw.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Warning \u2013 Graphic Images:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20666750\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1239991735.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20666750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1239991735.jpeg\" alt=\"Catholic devotees flagellate themselves to mark the holy week of Easter in Navotas, suburban Manila on April 15, 2022. (Photo by JAM STA ROSA \/ AFP) (Photo by JAM STA ROSA\/AFP via Getty Images)\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Catholic devotees flagellate themselves to mark the holy week of Easter in Navotas, suburban Manila on April 15, 2022. (JAM STA ROSA\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_20666762\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1391562278.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20666762\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1391562278.jpeg\" alt=\"MANILA, PHILIPPINES - APRIL 15: Flagellants with bloodied backs lie on the ground as they perform Good Friday Lenten Rites on April 15, 2022 in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines. Although the act of self mortification is condemned by the Catholic church and frowned upon in the modern age, thousands of Filipino faithfuls still practice it to this day as a form of popular piety and has become a part of Philippine tradition in Asia&#039;s largest predominantly Roman Catholic nation. (Photo by Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images)\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Flagellants with bloodied backs lie on the ground as they perform Good Friday Lenten Rites on April 15, 2022, in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines. (Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_20666768\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1391562312.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20666768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1391562312.jpeg\" alt=\"MANILA, PHILIPPINES - APRIL 15: Flagellants with bloodied backs flog themselves as they perform Good Friday Lenten Rites on April 15, 2022 in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines. Although the act of self mortification is condemned by the Catholic church and frowned upon in the modern age, thousands of Filipino faithfuls still practice it to this day as a form of popular piety and has become a part of Philippine tradition in Asia&#039;s largest predominantly Roman Catholic nation. (Photo by Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images)\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Flagellants with bloodied backs flog themselves as they perform Good Friday Lenten Rites on April 15, 2022 in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines. (Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_20666774\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1391562350.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20666774\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1391562350.jpeg\" alt=\"MANILA, PHILIPPINES - APRIL 15: Flagellants with bloodied backs flog themselves as they perform Good Friday Lenten Rites on April 15, 2022 in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines. Although the act of self mortification is condemned by the Catholic church and frowned upon in the modern age, thousands of Filipino faithfuls still practice it to this day as a form of popular piety and has become a part of Philippine tradition in Asia&#039;s largest predominantly Roman Catholic nation. (Photo by Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images)\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Flagellants with bloodied backs flog themselves as they perform Good Friday Lenten Rites on April 15, 2022 in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines. (Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_20666786\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1391562374.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20666786\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1391562374.jpeg\" alt=\"MANILA, PHILIPPINES - APRIL 15: A flagellant with a bloodied back cleans his wounds in the polluted waters of Manila bay after performing Good Friday Lenten Rites on April 15, 2022 in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines. Although the act of self mortification is condemned by the Catholic church and frowned upon in the modern age, thousands of Filipino faithfuls still practice it to this day as a form of popular piety and has become a part of Philippine tradition in Asia&#039;s largest predominantly Roman Catholic nation. (Photo by Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images)\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A flagellant with a bloodied back cleans his wounds in the polluted waters of Manila bay after performing Good Friday Lenten Rites on April 15, 2022, in Navotas, Metro Manila, Philippines.(Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>San Pedro Cutud \u2013 a small town in Pampanga, about two hours from Manila \u2013 typically hosts live crucifixions. Many of those participating have been doing so for years \u2013 in some cases, decades \u2013 though the number had begun to shrink by 2019, the last year the government allowed the event to take place. Following the eruption of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, authorities canceled the crucifixions, as they tended to encourage tourist travel that officials argued could spread the disease.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>Ruben Enaje, a carpenter, holds the record for being crucified the most times, having participated in the ritual on 33 occasions. Enaje told the <em>Manila Standard<\/em> that he was expecting to retire after one more crucifixion.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was ready to be crucified on the cross this Good Friday when he was told to cancel again,\u201d he <a href=\"https:\/\/manilastandard.net\/news\/314221542\/filipino-penitent-cancels-anew-crucifixion-on-good-friday-due-to-covid-19.html\">said<\/a>. \u201cI am looking forward next year to be nailed on the cross for the last time when I will be 61 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>Enaje told the newspaper that he began participating in the ritual in 1986 after falling three floors and landing uninjured. He attributes the \u201cmiracle\u201d to shouting \u201c<em>Dios ko!\u201d<\/em> (\u201cMy God!\u201d) as he fell.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI owe my life to Jesus that\u2019s why every Good Friday I have to undergo the crucifixion ritual,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10417503\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1138035295.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10417503\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1138035295.jpg\" alt=\"NOEL CELIS\/AFP\/Getty Images\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Philippine Christian devotee Ruben Enaje, 58, reacts as he is nailed to a cross during a reenactment of the Crucifixion of Christ during Good Friday ahead of Easter in the village of Cutud near San Fernando on April 19, 2019. (NOEL CELIS\/AFP\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In Manila, police had finally allowed the procession of the Black Nazarene, an annual Good Friday tradition, to occur despite the pandemic, but barely allowed the crowd to participate. Authorities <a href=\"https:\/\/www.philstar.com\/headlines\/2022\/04\/15\/2174594\/manila-police-district-deploys-nearly-1300-cops-black-nazarene\">deployed<\/a> nearly 1,300 police officers in anticipation of a large crowd, who reportedly failed to contain the crowd. The procession typically begins at midnight.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cHowever, upon reaching the Villalobos and Carlos Palanca Street, Quiapo, Manila, an uncontrolled crowd blocked the road\/path of the truck that carries the image of the black Nazarene, forcing the ground commander and the church leaders to implement the contingency plan that was agreed in the last coordinating meeting,\u201d Manila Police Department Director Leo Francisco <a href=\"https:\/\/newsinfo.inquirer.net\/1583281\/fwd-black-nazarene-procession-cancelled-due-to-uncontrolled-crowd-police\">said<\/a> in a statement on Friday, \u201cwhich is to promptly head back the image to the Church to ensure that chances for the transmission of the [Chinese coronavirus] among the devotees will be none.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<em>Philippine Star<\/em> estimated that 70,000 people had gathered for the procession.<\/p>\n<p>The Philippines has a large Catholic majority, about <a href=\"https:\/\/asiasociety.org\/education\/religion-philippines#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20proudly%20boasts%20to,well%20over%20100%20Protestant%20denominations.\">86 percent<\/a>, and is over 90 percent Christian generally. The government has been significantly more antagonistic to the Church under current President Rodrigo Duterte, however, who has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2018\/11\/26\/philippines-duterte-threatens-decapitate-bishop-alleged-drug-use\/\">repeatedly<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2018\/08\/15\/duterte-catholic-bishops-kick-your-ass\/\">encouraged<\/a> violence against priests and called Pope Francis a \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/news.abs-cbn.com\/news\/01\/18\/17\/look-dutertes-letter-to-pope-francis\">son of a whole<\/a>.\u201d Duterte <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2017\/01\/25\/duterte-claims-catholic-priest-molested-him\/\">claims<\/a> that a priest molested him during a Confession when he was \u201c14 or 15,\u201d naming Father\u00a0Paul Falvey, S.J., who left the Philippines and went on to be accused of molesting children in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Duterte\u2019s government has also implemented severe mobility restrictions following the onset of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, particularly targeting the faithful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo more religious gatherings. Full stop!\u201d Duterte spokesman Harry Roque scolded last year, a warning that went largely <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/faith\/2021\/04\/02\/philippines-pandemic-cancels-crucifixions-but-good-friday-processions-continue\/\">unheeded<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow Frances Martel on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1649767167560000&#038;usg=AOvVaw3rbnC08FjOcPT_hOd2u8h5\">Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1649767167560000&#038;usg=AOvVaw29eMJmL6xeLuvpNTZcl2Q_\">Twitter.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0Catholic believers in the Philippines observed Good Friday this year with traditional self-flagellation rituals known as\u00a0penitensya (\u201cpenitence\u201d), marching in bloody processions to acknowledge their sins and be forgiven. The Philippines<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1440744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1440744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1440744"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1440744\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1440744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1440744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1440744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}