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FILIPINO ZEALOTS HAVE marked Good Friday with a bloody display of religious frenzy by having themselves nailed to crosses and whipping their backs raw in Asia’s bastion of Catholicism.
Though frowned upon by the Church, the gruesome re-enactments of Christ’s final moments draw thousands of believers – and tourists – in a carnival-like atmosphere that is big business for locals.
In a collection of towns north of Manila, eight people had eight-centimetre spikes driven through their palms and feet in hot, dry fields meant to echo the site where Christ was crucified some 2,000 years ago.
Among an otherwise male field of penitents was 39-year-old Mary Jane Sazon, who made her seventh trip up onto the cross.
“Fulfilling my vow is important to me because ever since I started this the Lord answers my prayers,” Sazon told reporters as she pushed her dark hair back with freshly bandaged hands.
She would not be drawn on being the only woman crucified, saying: “I don’t care what other people might say.”
While the ordeal is undeniably painful, the penitents’ weight rests on a wooden step and they spend only a few moments nailed to the cross before being carried to the medical tent for treatment.
At the same time, scores of bare-chested men, some of whose faces were concealed by hoods, lashed their backs bloody as they walked through the streets before selfie-snapping onlookers.
The swinging of their whips left droplets of blood on cars, houses and even bottles of soda displayed on snack vendors’ tables that lined the road.
“If one of my family members gets sick, this is what we do,” said Norman Lapuot, aged 25, as he flogged himself with a bamboo-tipped whip.
I do this for my relatives.
‘I felt the pain’
Lapuot, who said it was his fourth time taking part in the ceremony, added that he believed the ritual bloodletting had helped his grandfather recover from a stroke.
While a majority of the Philippines’ 80 million Catholics spend Good Friday at church or with family, participants undergo the ordeal to atone for sins or to seek divine intervention.
The gruesome sights left some of the roughly 12,000 in attendance wide-eyed and wincing with vicarious pain.
“The most terrifying was the feet part, when the guy was screaming very loud,” said 28-year-old Juliette Pawinska, referring to when the spikes were driven in during one crucifixion.
“I actually felt the pain that he felt,” added the Polish national, who lives in the Philippines and works as a computer programmer.
The mock crucifixions on Good Friday have been going on for decades despite official disapproval from the nation’s dominant Catholic Church.
“The Church never encourages self-flagellation, much less crucifixion,” Father Roy Bellen, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Manila, told AFP.
All sacrifices being asked from Catholics during Lent and Holy Week should lead to actions that benefit the poor and the needy.
Food stalls, cab drivers and even souvenir stands get a boost from the event which draws thousands of visitors every year.
Rose Anne Galang, whose full-time job is as a factory worker, said she pulled in some extra cash selling pork dumplings to hungry tourists.
“It’s my first time, but business was really good,” she added with a smile. “I’ll be back next year.”
The people willing to have themselves nailed to the cross will also likely turn up in 2019.
“Our beloved Jesus Christ has been our inspiration, so every time there is a problem we need to hurt ourselves,” said 57-year-old Ruben Enaje, who has been crucified at the event for 32 consecutive years.
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Increase the minimum sentence FFS. Increasing the maximum is just window dressing!!!
@Willie Murphy: More virtual signalling,why did they have to wait till not,they are long enough in power,and knife crime has been around a long time
@Willie Murphy: there is no minimum sentencing here.
Won’t work cos Judges won’t implement sentences
@James Gorman: Especially Judge Nolan!
We need a competent Justice Minister who will address basic law and order issues. McEntee is interested only in hate crimes law and other woke projects!
@Brian Hunt: unfortunately those in politics who prioritize law and order over hate speech and other woke issues are unlikely to be appointed as Minister for Justice.
@Nodon: exactly
@Brian Hunt: Absolutely,a guy last week received a disgraceful 4 year sentence,for an absolute horrendous crime,he had well over a hundred convictions.I think the judges have to be held to account .Maybe have a referendum that judges can be sacked , and not on virtual signalling matters that the vast majority dont care about,and that doesnt make any practical sense
@John Hendrick: And the article above,2 and a half years for abusing his daughter for a period of two years, absolutely shockingly lenient sentences for terrible crimes.
@John Hendrick: I’ve said it a million times before, it’s not the judges, it’s the sentencing laws. Judges have to sentence within very tight parameters. They can’t just make up a number. If they did it would be appealed and overturned, costing tax payers money and clogging up the system. Longer headline sentences for violent/serious crimes is what is needed.
No deterrent currently, teenagers going around carrying meat cleavers mugging people.
10 years minimum sentence end of. Zero tolerance needs to apply.
@James Carolan: agreed. And 5 years if you’re caught carrying a knife
@James Carolan: Can’t send a teen down like that. Poor little lads, broken home…………..etc. etc. Verbal warning no record or conviction and back out.
Ffg stoking fears about knife crime , Back in the 80s knifes where the main weapon in violent deaths , But I seem to remember it was manslaughter the perpetrators where charged with . Our population has almost doubled in the last 50 years, But the entitled chancers that rule us pretend , that has nothing to do with social issues
@Robert Halvey: it has to do with the culture among certain groups and how lenient the justice system is. Anyone who commits a violent crime against somebody else needs to know the chance is high that they will be caught and that they will be punished in a way that will make them suffer for a very long time. Hugs and kisses won’t cut it. We need to stop being so soft.
@Tom D: Speak for yourself! Empathy and understanding are never wasted. Punishment where punishment is warranted obviously but only effective punishment or it’s a waste of time! What groups specifically since you know all about it clearly?
@Chutes: you’re more interested in pointless name calling, why should anyone bother?
Without this being implemented as soon as possible, Dublin will be like an extension of London in the years to come. No comment on who’ll be involved. That would not be PC
@Sean oSuilleabhain: we’re on a seriously slippy slope at the moment and I can only see it getting worse.
@Sean oSuilleabhain: wow I didn’t know, thanks for alerting me that the vast majority of knife crime isn’t Irish born, I didn’t know until you alluded to it, could you post your stats because you seem very certain?
@Sean oSuilleabhain: Racist.
@Chutes: No. Just against knife crime and saying who is disproportionately represented in the stats is factual,
Longer sentences will change nothing. This is lazy, knee-jerk window dressing.
@Seanfhear míshásta: Increasing maximum sentences does nothing. Minimum sentences should be increased, and the first step is building a huge prison or two.
@ecrowley ecrowley: Actually, first step is a new, competent minister.
@ecrowley ecrowley: there is no minimum sentencing within Irish law
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: Indeed, and therein lies the problem. Increasing maximum sentences is pointless. Judges don’t hit the upper end of the scale except in very rare instances.
@ecrowley ecrowley: because in law they have to allow for mitigation. The entire sentencing structure needs changing, agreed, but minimum sentencing doesn’t really work. There are variants in most crimes. There are some crimes where a person deserves prison time and some people for the exact same crime who don’t, first offence, age etc. I’d be all in favour for mandatory minimums for murder, like they do in the UK. For rape too. But with most crimes they just need to increase the maximum. If the maximum for an offence is 5 years, which it is for many sex offences, you can get that down to 1 year or less very quickly with mitigation. But if the headline is increased to 10 years for example, you’ll get a decent sentence after mitigation. Also concurrent sentences should be used far less.
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: I agree with much of what you said, and I would only be talking about minimum sentences for serious crimes, and I’d include knife possession in that. There should be a proper deterrent. You are quite right about concurrent sentences. 3crimes for the price of 1 is ridiculous.
Build lots of new prisons. We’ll need them with our changing demographic.
The prisons are full so this is a complete gaslighting job. Last prison built was Wheatfield in 1989, thirty five years ago. The population of Ireland and the rate of violent crime have both increased dramatically since then.
@John Fahy: was Midlands not built after that?. But you’re right. Dublin needs another large prison.
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: You’ll fill as many as you’d like to build, there’s always some moralising *rick only too happy to lock folks up and forget about them until they are released, with no attempts towards rehabilitation at least no effective ones apparently.
They’ll all happily take their cheques from a public convinced through ignorance that prisons are actually effective or even useful in their current guise. Even a cursory examination of the system demands more than this nonsense imo.
For Christ sake, get real. These types of crimes, including burglaries, serious assaults, murders etc need to deal with far more severe. Its common knowledge that these people are released early from prison 5 years should mean 5 years !!! BUILD MORE PRISONS . In this country, it’s all about the offender, but absolutely nothing about the victim. The offenders should be treated as dogs
@Michael Nyhan: absolutely, couldn’t agree more.
@Michael Nyhan: “The offenders should be treated as dogs” says it all about you!
@Chutes: Yeah when some 25 year old punk with 50 prior convictions terrorises a pensioner in their homes with a knife in a robbery what he needs is TLC. A lot of these lads are beyond rehabilitation. They are predators and lack the empathy that most of us have. They need to be deterred by threat a severe punishment and that doesn’t work society needs to be protected from them by locking them up.
@Tom D: If you actually knew anything about them you’d know there’s no such thing as a deterrent. “A lot of these lads are beyond rehabilitation.” how do you know? You work with any, know any? How Tom are you so certain? As for TLC, most of them see not a lot of that and I never said anything even remotely like that
There should be a MINIMUM sentence of 10 years for knife crimes.
Figure out a way to make it illegal to use the hood on a hoodie!
So politicians get longer sentences for stabbing each other in the back?
Nothing on any main media,about the Irish girl sexually abused on the airplane flight..your man was not Irish,I think he was about 60,the court case was last week,I think limerick but could be wrong which County,the judge told him you were drunk,and your basically a good man and wouldn’t have done it unless u had drink in u,if I was that girls mother,I would bring a civil case against the judge,but jail someone for genuinely not been able to afford a TV license..it seems the Irish people are the only 1s committing crime..how backward and stupid r we,to blame someone of a differnt colour or nationality,when we had all these crimes and problems already
@Kathleen Peters: Yes there was.Google it instead of coming on here posting false claims.
@Alan Cooke: But how would she demonstrate her racist leanings?
Is The Journal.ie in danger of becoming a eunuch as most comment sections are closed?
@Charlie Arum: Not sure a news organisation can be a eunuch, maybe check the definition again? Why do you think comments close?
America has longer sentences for knife crime how’s that working out !!!?
@joe kelly: In Singapore, you’ll get whipped. How is that working out.
No great objection to this but would also like to see increased sentences for financial crimes.
@Padraig O’Brien: I doubt very much we’ll see that! Financial crime is arguably worse than knife crime.
No
Carrying a knife shouldn’t carry a sentence imo, it’s a defensive weapon and a tool. It only becomes a problem when used offensively. All citizens should be able to protect themselves in a dangerous environment, use of minimum force applies but sometimes minimum is considerable, it just has to be justified. I wonder how many sexual assault victims would have welcomed a knife?
@Chutes: Maybe guns would be better. Can’t imagine anything going wrong…
@ecrowley ecrowley: The point is, you shouldn’t jail anyone for a crime they might commit, there is an assumption here that a crime will be committed if a knife is carried. That’s an assumption too far! Presumptive guilt.
You shouldn’t criminalise defensive postures!
@Chutes: Again, I don’t see the difference with guns. You could argue that it’s fine possessing and walking around with one as long as you don’t shoot anyone. Unless you happen to be attacked, in which case Phew, thank f*%k I had my gun.
@Chutes: So you carry around a knife yourself then ? Did you buy one specifically for ‘out and about’ purposes or do ya just take whats handy from the knife block when you’re heading put for a pint ?
@ecrowley ecrowley: Ex military. You see no difference because there is none.
@Brian: Catch a hold of yourself will ya? You know carrying knives is illegal right?
@Chutes: So where does this fall with your “presumptive guilt” stance?
@ecrowley ecrowley: Where does what fall?
@Chutes: Your response to Brian is at odds with your earlier comment that one shouldn’t be arrested for possessing a knife. That merely possessing a knife doesn’t mean you’re going to commit a crime.
@Chutes: Ohhh, so you just wish you could carry one heading out for a pint without it being illegal.. gotcha.
@Brian: Child!
@ecrowley ecrowley: Try keep up! Maybe read it again and then point out the disparity. Merely possessing a knife does not mean you’ll commit crime, how many use knives in their daily work?
Should they be arrested if they go for a roll in the garage with one still in their pocket? The crime is in the type of use, offensively, not the carrying. If I go camping, should the Gardaí be out looking for me and other campers who carry knives.
Should anyone who waits tables in a restaurant be prosecuted?
Carrying a knife does not signal intent to carry out a crime! This is an ill considered law at best!
@Chutes: Yet you smartarsedly asked Brian if he knew it was illegal to carry a knife. It’s you that needs to keep up. And not even with me, but with your own contradictions. Assuming you can comprehend your own nonsense arguments about how carrying a knife is grand.
@Chutes: lol.. you serious ? Do you or do you not want to walk around with a knife.. you’re the one advocating decriminalisation of the possession of a knife.. and if you don’t,you need to explain your reasons why .. and if you do you also need to explain your reason why.. its not a very difficult train of thought to follow for an adult..
@Chutes: I’ve never heard so much retrded bs in my life .. ohh you’re so right.. I mean the amount of carpet layers arrested going for a smoke last year was off the charts. And don’t get me started on all the scouts who were raided while camping last year.. ! Can you be any more pathetic in your argument for legalising possession of a knife ?
@ecrowley ecrowley: & @Brian. I see you are failing to understand, that’s not my problem. @Brian Carrying knives is illegal regardless of my opinion. So I don’t carry one, does that satisfy you? Coz I have no need to explain myself to some randomer on the net who doesn’t get it any more than I already have.
You two are clearly incapable of the kind of thought that is required on issues such as this, you share that with politicians.
@Chutes: So you’re saying it’s illegal to carry a knife but it should be legal? And by extension from an earlier comment it should be legal to carry a gun. Similarly to a knife, it’s ok to possess one as long as it’s not used unless in a defensive manner. So you’d be of a similar mind as those apes Stateside who see nothing wrong with carrying weapons?
@Chutes: you’re the one rambling on about defensive postures and people camping being arrested in your rage against the machine. The law already provides for the nonsensical scenario’s you cited..’it is a defence if the person proves that he had the same with good reason or lawful authority including, for example, for work or recreational purposes’.educate yourself before you make a fool of yourself. God only knows what you’re raging against here .. but the upshot of your ramblings is your down with people roaming our streets with knives and I shouldn’t jump to any conclusions or engage in presumptive guilt when teens are walking around the city centre with 6/8/10/12 inch knifes concealed on their persons.. ‘catch a hold of yourself’ indeed.
We all been stabbed in the back by this gov
This is all just the usual sht/low hanging fruit in the run up to election, trite!
I…just like most people that click onto the Journal are totally pissed off with nearly every Comment Sections closed … Will you get a grip….
Good news announced. Whingers whinge in their haste to behave like sheep.
@Sun Rise: Your comment is the most conformist of them all. Nice bit of fence-sitting. If you’re going to post something at least take a position instead of calling people who disagree with this trite political posturing by McEntee “whingers”.
Haha useless
The puss on you
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