Crucifixion marks Good Friday in Phillippines

A Philippine fish vendor was nailed to a cross for a final time today, fulfilling his vow to go through the annual Lenten ritual 15 times to give thanks for his mother’s recovery from tuberculosis.

Heresito Sangalang, 45, was among about a dozen Filipinos, including one woman, who were nailed to crosses in bloody rituals in San Pedro Cutud to mark Good Friday penance and seek answers to prayers.

Scores more flogged themselves in this Christian-dominated Asian country.

About 2,000 people, including foreign tourists, flocked around three black crosses on a sun-baked mound fenced off by barbed wire where at least nine of the crucifixions took place.

People with cameras jostled with journalists for a good spot to take pictures of men taking on the role of Jesus Christ.

Each man was crucified with nails sterilised in alcohol.

Sangalang, long-haired and bearded, wore a dark red robe, a crown made of thorny vines and sandals.

He gave instructions on where to pound the nails in between the bones of his hands and feet but still grimaced as they were driven in.

Sangalang was also tied to the cross with pieces of cloth around his arms to support him as he hung.

He stayed in place for a few minutes under the scorching sun before he was hauled down and another took his place.

Around the country, meanwhile, groups of hooded flagellants whipped their backs and walked barefooted through villages.

Their guides and monitors first drew blood by cutting their backs with a brush-like instrument studded with broken glass or shaving blades.

On Thursday night, Filipino families visited 14 churches representing the 14 stations of the cross the events leading to Christ’s sufferings on his way to be crucified.

And around the capital Manila, thousands of barefoot devotees walked from their homes to worship at the Quiapo district church.