Robert’s Photography Blog

In Asia, you can still find extreme religious festivals either forgotten or banned in other parts of the world. Local photographer and good friend, Stuart Clyne, recently traveled to San Pedro Cutud (San Fernando), Philippines to shoot the annual Good Friday re-enactment of Christ’s final hours. The Lenten ritual drew a large crowd this year that was estimated at about 30,000 including 400 police and volunteer guards.

Scores of penitents, inflicting self-flagellations using glass-spiked leather thongs on their bare backs, trail a “Christ”, a Filipino penitent, who bears a heavy wooden cross during the trek to the makeshift Golgotha (calvary). Upon arriving, the women kneel at the feet of the makeshift cavalry and wail a version of the Gospel of Seville Passion. Spectators watched devotees being crucified in batches, their palms and feet attached to the crosses with 10-centimeter nails soaked in alcohol to prevent infection. Some repeat the ritual year after year. This year’s ‘Christ’ was on the cross for his 20th time.

Some reasons penitents give for enduring the crucifixion include asking for forgiveness for their sins, praying for peace, and asking for good fortune. The Catholic Church disapproves of these acts and distances itself from them saying it is a misrepresentation of the faith.

Stuart shot under the hot sun all day with a Canon EOS 30D and a Canon EF-S 10-22mm lens. He also carried a back-up body, a Canon EOS 300D with Canon EF 24-70mm lens. A preferential vantage point was difficult to find, so Stuart tried and succeeded in registering with local authorities at the last minute to gain access to the enclosure. Click on the thumbnail to go to Stuart’s PBase galleries for this event.