Philippine Bishops Slam ‘Crucifixions’

[cali]

Manilla. As Filipinos flock to the provinces to spend Easter with their families in this Catholic-majority country, bishops are urging the faithful not to attend the literal re-enactments of the crucifixion that have become tourist attractions.

Every Good Friday in several dusty farming villages in the northern province of Pampanga, devotees have themselves nailed to wooden crosses in imitation of Jesus Christ, a painful act of penitence that is frowned upon by the Church.

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In a far gorier Easter spectacle practiced nationwide, penitents strip to the waist and flay their backs with whips embedded with glass in the belief that their sins will be atoned. The practice has health authorities warning against infection — and not just for the flagellants: Onlookers are at risk from sprayed blood.


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http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/international/philippine-bishops-slam-crucifixions/436796