CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The mayor of this city kept distance yesterday from Good Friday bloody traditions here, but vowed to use local resources to the maximum to keep safe and secure the thousands of tourists again expected here to witness no less than 20 actual crucifixions in at least three barangays.
“Personally, I am not in favor of the crucifixions but the tradition is already there and it attracts thousands of people. As mayor, I will have to see to it that these people are kept safe, their surroundings clean, and the events all peaceful and in order,” said Mayor Oscar Rodriguez who did not attend the press conference on activities for “Maleldo” or Holy Week in this city.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has always frowned on violent practices during Lent and even came out recently with an Internet version of the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross.
City tourism chief Ching Pangilinan said the city government will provide security and health services to folk in three crucifixion venues in this city on Good Friday. Five are expected to be nailed on crosses in Barangay San Juan at 9 a.m., three in Barangay Sta. Lucia at 10 a.m., and at least 14 in Barangay San Pedro Cutud at 12 noon. The latter barangay is the most well known for Good Friday crucifixions here because of its colorful reenactment of the last hours of Jesus Christ before crucifixions are done at 3 p.m., reputed to be the hour of Jesus’s death on the cross.
Penitent Ruben Enaje, 50, would again portray the role of the main Kristo to be crucified on a makeshift Golgotha in San Pedro Cutud. This could be his 25th year to be crucified, a religious vow he started as a way of thanking God for sparing his life when, while at work, he fell from a scaffolding.
Enaje, who started to sport long hair four years ago instead of a wig which often embarrassingly fell off during his crucifixion, is set to “retire” after two more Good Friday crucifixions, as his self-imposed vow would have been accomplished by then.
Asked why he has ignored admonitions of the CBCP against bloody crucifixions, Enaje, a Catholic, blamed priests who, he noted, allegedly lock themselves up in their houses after Holy Week religious services instead of reaching out to penitents to convince them to resort to other practices more acceptable to the Church.
Among the penitents slated to be nailed on crosses, only Hernando Mangun, 41, of Barangay Sta. Lucia would have not only his hands, but also his feet nailed.
Mangun, who works as “barker” for passengers jeepneys, said that while his crucifixion this Good Friday would be his 17th, he started being nailed on his feet only five years ago as a plea to God to cure his six-year-old son who needs colonostrophy procedure before he reaches the age of 10. His son defecates from a tube inserted in his belly as he was born without anal orifice.
“I will not stop until somebody helps my son with his medical needs. There had been promises of help but none has been realized. I just can’t afford the medical cost,” he said.
“Personally, I am not in favor of the crucifixions but the tradition is already there and it attracts thousands of people. As mayor, I will have to see to it that these people are kept safe, their surroundings clean, and the events all peaceful and in order,” said Mayor Oscar Rodriguez who did not attend the press conference on activities for “Maleldo” or Holy Week in this city.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has always frowned on violent practices during Lent and even came out recently with an Internet version of the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross.
City tourism chief Ching Pangilinan said the city government will provide security and health services to folk in three crucifixion venues in this city on Good Friday. Five are expected to be nailed on crosses in Barangay San Juan at 9 a.m., three in Barangay Sta. Lucia at 10 a.m., and at least 14 in Barangay San Pedro Cutud at 12 noon. The latter barangay is the most well known for Good Friday crucifixions here because of its colorful reenactment of the last hours of Jesus Christ before crucifixions are done at 3 p.m., reputed to be the hour of Jesus’s death on the cross.
Penitent Ruben Enaje, 50, would again portray the role of the main Kristo to be crucified on a makeshift Golgotha in San Pedro Cutud. This could be his 25th year to be crucified, a religious vow he started as a way of thanking God for sparing his life when, while at work, he fell from a scaffolding.
Enaje, who started to sport long hair four years ago instead of a wig which often embarrassingly fell off during his crucifixion, is set to “retire” after two more Good Friday crucifixions, as his self-imposed vow would have been accomplished by then.
Asked why he has ignored admonitions of the CBCP against bloody crucifixions, Enaje, a Catholic, blamed priests who, he noted, allegedly lock themselves up in their houses after Holy Week religious services instead of reaching out to penitents to convince them to resort to other practices more acceptable to the Church.
Among the penitents slated to be nailed on crosses, only Hernando Mangun, 41, of Barangay Sta. Lucia would have not only his hands, but also his feet nailed.
Mangun, who works as “barker” for passengers jeepneys, said that while his crucifixion this Good Friday would be his 17th, he started being nailed on his feet only five years ago as a plea to God to cure his six-year-old son who needs colonostrophy procedure before he reaches the age of 10. His son defecates from a tube inserted in his belly as he was born without anal orifice.
“I will not stop until somebody helps my son with his medical needs. There had been promises of help but none has been realized. I just can’t afford the medical cost,” he said.
