Santa Lucia Maleldo 2023 in City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
The “Crucifixion Rites,” an annual Good Friday event in San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines, is well-known for luring thousands of tourists and devotees each year. Penitents flagellate themselves, carry wooden crosses, and some even go through physical crucifixion as part of the discipline. Which entails a recreation of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.
Many adherents view the rite, which is thought to have started in the 1950s. As an act of penance and faith. Yet, it has drawn criticism and controversy, with some referring to it as a gory display and questioning its religious importance. Despite this, San Fernando’s religious and cultural traditions still heavily rely on the Crucifixion Rites. Drawing tourists from around the globe to see them.
The Crucifixion Rites start with a procession as the Kristos, clothed in purple robes. Walk through the streets of San Fernando while carrying large wooden crosses. Other Kristos wear a crown of thorns and carry a cross on their backs. While others flagellate themselves with bamboo whips.
Actual crucifixion, in which a person is nailed to a wooden cross and raised into the air, is the most intense type of involvement. Even though the Catholic Church does not support this activity, it continues to garner a sizable following of followers every year.
Santa Lucia Maleldo 2023 is part of the 3 iterations of crucifixion in the City of San Fernando Pampanga.