Holy Week In The Philippines
Easter in the Philippines is not for just one day. It is for a week, Holy Week or Semana Santa. Friday. Good Friday is better named as Black Friday and it is a solemn day. I should say that it is suppose to be. There should be no listening to music for example. I think though, most make this a goal, like fasting and it is a rule often broken. In the USA, most of us hardly even notice Good Friday unless we have the day off. If you’re living the Philippines, Holy Week and Black Friday take on a much more prominent part of your life.
If you’re living in the Philippines, it is hard not to notice Black Friday. There will be processions and other activities in nearly every city in the Philippines.
There is one tradition in the Philippines that gets much attention. It gets both positive and negative attention. Mostly men, will be nailed to a cross to honor the crucifixion of Christ. They also do this to atone for there sins. There are a few other places around the world that do this too.
A few years back, there was an article in one of the paper warning being nailed to a cross is bad for your health. Now, if one thinks the surgeon generals warning on a pack of cigarettes is stating the obvious, this takes it that to the next level.
The Catholic church does not condone this activity. They usually issues statements to that effect. Within the Filipino culture, these people are respected. Yeah, sure, some of them do it to say they did it. So what! Personally, I have much respect for the people that do this.
I always did have some but at the same time I was bewildered by it. I was shocked when I first learned of this. After three years of living in the Philippines, it just seems like normal life. I think my more accepting view of this has come not from familiarity but from a deeper understanding of Filipino culture.
I always want to witness this first hand. The most famous place to do this is in Pampanga Province. The ceremony knowns at the
“Lenten Rights” take place in a rice field in the barrio (village or neighborhood) of San Pedro Cutud. In this ritual, the participants are flogged and then nailed to a cross with five inch nails.
I did get to witness this once, in Cebu City. I went to a mountain top, a long hard walk for me. We got there a little late and the men were already hanging on the cross. In this instance, there were no nails. They were tied to the cross.
It was still an awesome thing to see. The scenery was beautiful. There were merchants all along the street. I bought a pair of $150 designer sunglasses on that mountain and paid only $2.00 for them. ha-ha. Funny thing, that designer logo just peeled right off a couple of years later. No, they were not the real thing.
I remember still, how one vendor had a booth set up and was blasting music. This really angered Jessie. One should not even listen to music on Black Friday, let alone blast it all over the roadway.
I have not been feeling well for a long time now, but this week during Holy Week in the Philippines, I plan to suck it up and at least go see a procession. That depends on my being able to find out the correct time to see it!
Bantayan Island — Holy Week In The Philippines
Bantayan Island has sparked a lot of controversies in the prior two years. There have been protest and even arrest for less than holy activities at some of the resort. The priest in the area have complained to the Governor and she took action. Two years ago, sending a warning. It was mostly ignored and she followed that up with charges.
This year some resort owners said things would be much more toned down, fitting with the tradition of Holy Week In The Philippines. Priest have said there is no loud music blasting that can be heard in their church.
When I first moved to the Philippines, I learned that Bantayan Island was famous for the most solemn observance of Holy Week in the Philippines. I didn’t understand when I read about the activities there because it didn’t fit in what I had learned. It seems now though that Bantayan Island is returning to its roots and what is a more proper observance of Holy Week in the Philippines within Filipino Culture.
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Tagged with: Cutud • Filipino Culture • Holy Week In The Philippines • Lenten Rights • Living In The Philippines • Pampanga
Filed under: Filipino Culture • Philippine Religion
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hi rusty,when i was living in Dipolog City i witnessed a guy walking on main street downtown,he was accompanied by alot of followers.
He was wearing a thorny band of twigs on his head,he had no shirt on and was dragging a not so big wooden cross behind him which was tied to his waist by rope.
Now what was so unbelievable untill i seen with my own eyes was he was carrying a good sized chain about 3 feet long and with every step he took he slung it over his shoulder striking his back,his back was very bloody,i was speechless.
Yes, self flogging is part of that. I think they call it self flagellation. I suspect had you followed him, you have seen him get nailed to that cross.
Would have made some awesome pictures from what you describe.
My head feels like it may explode, I gotta rest.
Yeah, they do that. In a Northern province, which I can’t remember without googling it, starts with a P there will be many people doing that. Lots of self flagellation as it called. Some get nailed with real nails into their hands on the cross.
HI RUSTY THIS IS FRANK AND I JUST READ YOUR POSTING ON AND ABOUT THE HOLY WEEK CELABRATIONS AND BLACK FRIDAY AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY TO TO YOU WOW THEY REALLY DO DO THAT THERE I MEAN FOR REAL THEY HAVE THEM SELVES ACTUALLY NAILED TO A CROSS YES IF THIS IS TRUE I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ALSO THAT I HAVE MUCH RESPECT FOR THESE MEN AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING I WOLD LIKE SEE THAT FOR MY SELF IN THE FUTURE AND ON A SIDE NOTE YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME OF THE WOMEN THERE PROSTRATE THEM SELVES ON THE FLOOR OF A CHURCH ONCE THEY GET INSIDE AND THEY LITERALLY CRAWL ALL THE WAY TO THE ALTER AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE MUCH RESPECT FOR THESE WOMAN FOR DOING THIS AND THAT ARE DOING THIS AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THIS FOR MY SELF IN THE FUTURE ALSO AND ON AN OTHER NOTE I JUST HAVE TO SAY TO YOU AND SAY THANK YOU FOR ASKING ME IF I MIGHT LIKE TO WRITE POSTS FOR YOU ON YOUR BLOG AND I SAY THANK YOU AGAIN AND I SAY TO YOU I REALY TO NOT KNOW HOW TO WRIGHT ANYTHING REALLY AND ALSO I HAVE NOT EVER BEING TO THE PHILIPPINES EVER BUT SOMETIMES I COME ACROSS INFORMATION THAT YOU MIGHT CONSIDER USING ON YOUR BLOG FOR THE NEWS OF YOUR READERS AND THIS INFO WOULD BE ON SUBJECTS RELATING TO THE PHILIPPINES AND ON THAT REGARD I WOULD SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT FROM TIME TO TIME IF YOU THINK THAT YOUR READERS WOULD LIKE THE INFO AND SO ALSO IF I CAN ASK YOU IF YOU WOULD TRY AND GET ANY INFO ON THE REBEL ACTIVITIES IN THE MINDENAU PROVENCE I WOULD GREATLY APRICEATE THAT AND SO IN CLOSING I SAY THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOU ASKING ME TO BE A CONTRIBUTOR ON YOUR BLOG POST AND SO AGAIN THANK YOU P.S. IF YOU WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME YOU CAN SEND ME AN EMAIL TO MY EMAIL AT frankadder@yahoo.com AND SO AGAIN THANK YOU SINCERELY. FRANK ADDER.
Hi Frank, Are you X military? I’m asking because you use all caps. I know they do that in the military but it isn’t good to do that on the web.
Thanks for your interest in writing on my blog.
I’m curious, when did I ask you to write for me? Did you get an email? If so, I didn’t send it. I’m curious where you got that information. I don’t recall having asked anyone to write for me in the last couple of years.
Writers here would need to have spent a lot of time in the Philippines.
I would enjoy having guest writers but they must write in paragraphs. On the web, it is better to toss out the rules of paragraph and write in shorter blocks.
Wow! All those CAPS! Hard to read..(The comment from Frank).
I have watched footage of the ceremony, if that’s what you call it. Pampaga is where my wife is from. I would love to go watch someday just out of morbid curiosity. Does that make me a bad person?
Nice design Rusty. Been a while since I’ve been over to your site. I should do better than that!
Lots of great information here for anyone wanting to move to the Philippines..
Thanks again Randall!
I suspect it will become more than morbid curiosity. Just your willing to see it without condemnation says to me your mind is int he right place. I don’t see anything morbid about wanting to see it.
You don’t have to go to Pampaga to see it, that’s just where it is most famous. The flog and nail people to a cross in Cebu. My GF has a highly respected uncle that did it for many years. She speaks of it with much pride.
Our Western thinking makes us see it as a way to gain attention. I’m sure that goes on some times but that is a rare motivation. It takes real commitment to degrade ones self and to inflict that kind of pain upon ourselves unless we are mentally ill. These people are not mentally ill. They are deeply devoted to their faith.