WARNING: Contains graphic images, which may upset sensitive readers.
Good Friday in the Philippines saw a bloody display of faith after Catholic zealots marked the occasion with flagellating and flogging as an act to atone for their sins.
In San Juan village, north of Manila, scores of residents and tourists watched a blood-soaked re-enactment of Jesus Christ’s last moments.
A multitude of men with vine and cloth crowns on their heads and their faces covered marched barefoot along narrow thoroughfares, continuously flagellating themselves with bamboo whips to represent the “cat-o’-nine tails”, according to reports.
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The cat-o’-nine-tails is a type of whip made of nine strands of twisted cords or leather thongs.
It is not specifically mentioned in Christian scripture, but there are references to a similar instrument of punishment called a scourge that was used in biblical times.
The scourge was a whip with multiple lashes, and it was often used to beat criminals or those who were seen as disobedient. In the New Testament, it is mentioned that Jesus was scourged before his crucifixion.
Nailed to wooden crosses
The Filipino zealots also nailed themselves to wooden crosses while others whipped their backs.
The extreme act of faith has been frowned upon by the church, but it has not deterred believers from practising their faith.
Participants were cautioned by the health department about the potential of contracting tetanus and other infections.
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Some people who whip themselves with ropes stopped and lay down on the ground to be beaten with flip-flops and sticks.
After the bleeding stopped from their self-inflicted wounds, they punctured their skin with razor blades or a wooden mallet containing glass shards to induce more bleeding.
Praying for his family
Speaking to the media, one of the participants, Daren Pascual, 31, reported that he took part in the act to show God his heart for his family and pray for their good health.
“You just pray, then you cannot feel the pain,” he reportedly said.
Meanwhile, a 66-year-old man, Wilfredo Salvador, played the part of Jesus.
The elderly man was also whipped and was pinned to a cross with nails through his palms and feet.
Several minutes later, the nails were extracted, and Salvador was brought down to the ground. Subsequently, he was taken to the medical tent on a stretcher for a check-up.
The entire performance was recorded via smartphones and drones by spectators.
