By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
Paombong, Bulacan– Penitents in Paombong, Bulacan, usually male, walked five kilometers from the town center to a chapel in a village called Kapitangan in this town. On the way they usually have an entourage singing the passion of Christ. On every designated station of the cross along the street, the penitents whose backs have been wounded by shards of glass and then kept bleeding through continuous whips as they walk, would prostrate themselves in prayer while other men would whack their backs and legs repeatedly. These they do until they reach the chapel in Kapitangan, where they would prostrate themselves once more in every direction of the cross and be whacked each time.
Self-imposed wounds as “sinners'” atonement. (Photo by Marya Salamat / bulatlat.com)
Some penitents also carry a wooden cross. Like penitents, adults bearing big wooden cross on their shoulder walked the five kilometers of road from the Paombong town center to Kapitangan. They, too, often have an entourage of passion singers. Often most are also barefooted.
The health department has cautioned the people against the risks of tetanus as a result of such practice, but these have been routinely ignored in this town every year. At least, they noticeably tried to sterilize first the nails they used in crucifying three people last Good Friday.
Joel or Jojo to friends, he was crucified for the fourth time this year. (Photo by Marya Salamat / bulatlat.com)
The practice of carrying the wooden cross for such a long distance starts with Lent in many parts of the Philippines. They increase in frequency and number as Good Friday approaches. From Holy Thursday to Good Friday, residents along the streets of Paombong from the town center to the village of Kapitangan say they can hardly sleep for the continuous sound of the passion of Christ being sung, the footfalls of the crowd of people walking the five kilometers to Kapitangan, the sound of the penitents’ whip as it hit their backs, and the sound of the wooden cross scraping at the street. They said that this year, at least, they are happy to note that the streets are smoother.
At least three persons were crucified one at a time at high noon of Good Friday in this town as both the religious and the spectators crowd the small chapel’s patio in the village of Kapitangan to watch.
