Despite the intense heat, Filipino grandpa Ruben Enaje on Good Friday was nailed to a cross for the 36th time, carrying on a long-standing religious custom. Information on what transpired…
Despite alerts about dangerously high temperatures, Catholics around the Philippines celebrated Good Friday by performing spectacular reenactments of Jesus Christ’s suffering and crucifixion.
While temperatures in some places reached over 40 degrees Celsius, churches were packed, with thousands attending Mass and prayers and others participating in religious processions.
More than a dozen locations saw penitents flogged until they bled or nailed to wooden crosses. They are perceived as ways to express gratitude, beg for pardon, or offer prayers for benefits.
Located around 60 km north of Manila, San Pedro Cutud hosts one of the most well-known Good Friday celebrations. There, thousands of people flocked to witness the tremendous manifestations of faith.
The ritual was once again led by 64-year-old Ruben Enaje, who, according to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), was nailed to the cross for the 36th time. For nearly two kilometres, he carried a 27-kilogram wooden cross before being nailed.
Unfortunately, as I age, I am becoming weaker. Ten kilogrammes had to be shaved off since the cross was getting too heavy for me to carry.
“I hope to carry on the tradition next year,” said Enaje, a grandpa of seven, but he was sure someone else would step in if he couldn’t.
Annother old man was nailed.
Another participant, Joselito Capili, 60, was nailed to the cross for the twentieth time in the Sta Lucia town, which is nearby. Initially, Capili, a construction worker, participated in 2002 following his father’s cancer diagnosis.
Even though his father died a year later, Capili remained true to his promise to keep his family safe. In the GNA report, he is cited as saying:
My wife, two children, and six grandchildren are all in good health. Although our life is fantastic, I fear I won’t be able to continue. Being old makes me feel lightheaded already. Perhaps I’ll only be able to go a few more years.
While opposing these extreme actions, the Catholic Church does not actively prevent them either.
For Christians, Good Friday is a sombre day commemorating Jesus’ crucifixion and death. It occurs in the week before Easter Sunday, when Christians commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.
The most significant religious time in the Philippines is Easter week, a public holiday for most of the week. As a result, companies and government offices are closed, and many individuals take vacations or return home.
