Crucifixion in Pampanga

At least that's what the picture below looks like. This was taken when I had my one-week vacation which stretched to two weeks because of foot accident.

That's Danny the Puppy being inspected for some insects that have been crawling on his skin. They're not ticks which simply latch on to the skin. I don't know what they are but they are fast crawlers (faster than ants) and don't jump.


No, we didn't see any crucifixions in this year's Holy Week. We had an overnight stay with the kids (Thursday to Friday) in Pampanga. To keep the house we left behind well lit at night, I put a 25-watt Akari bulb with a built-in photosensor inside the ground floor bedroom.

It costs Php399 at Ace Hardware. That's cheap, in my opinion. The German-made bulbs I used to buy cost over a thousand. They're no longer available now I think, but they were the only photo-sensor bulbs back then.

Anyway, last Maundy Thursday, we all went out for an afternoon walk around the neighborhood. Renz went with Tita Divine, and Karen didn't go. I even showed DH, Sandra and Che the erring steel bar that pierced my foot.

During the walk I wasn't expecting to see any flagellants ("magdarame") on the streets, but I wouldn't have been totally surprised if we did see one. Afterall, this IS Pampanga.

And so I teased Che and Sandra that we'll be seeing one soon just around the corner. Of course they were incredulous, yet worried. The kids have seen a couple of flagellants before in one of our Visita Iglesias there.

The sight of hooded men whipping themselves with the "Burilyos" and the splattering of blood with each whipping action was enough to scare the wits out of them.


We met the other group and John announced there WAS a lone flagellant at the chapel. Of course! There's a chapel there, and that's were flagellants make their stops.

By this time, Che and Sandra were ready to go home. I had to remind them though that this is a common tradition and custom in our province. These are just ordinary men practicing it - nothing supernatural.


Kapampangans know this and is nothing scary. The only ones I know who get scared are the younger ones who see it for the first (or second, or third) time.

I admit I was one of them a long time ago. When you see all the blood and the pain and suffering they inflict upon themselves, it is really an abnormal act. The black hood covering the head, ropes that bound the legs and the crown of leaves just add more to the scariness.