During the Holy Week in The Philippines, especially during Good Friday, it is not uncommon to see very extreme forms of worship. In my opinion, it’s not something that should be condoned, but I never judge. I just feel that there is nothing in scripture that would point to the extreme means of worship as a means to show your devotion.

Anyhow, Good Friday always seems to bring these extreme acts of worship out into the streets. The most glaring is the practice of Flagellation in their rituals, in which the aim is to literally mortify your own flesh with instruments such as whips to the point of incurring often bloody flesh wounds. In the Philippines they use a modified whip usually with a dozen of bamboo sticks at the end to inflict the wounds as the whipping progresses.

Flagellation ritual

below, you can see the backs of the individuals after a while, and the red that you see is actual blood.

Flagellation

Carrying of The Cross is also a more traditional form of ritual that is done, something like what the young man is doing in the picture below.

Carrying Your Cross

And sometimes direct cutting of flesh by using any sharp object, usually a razor, is an extreme ritual that some individuals participate in.

Bloodletting

And something that always catches the eyes and attentions of the people is the actual crucifixion of an individual. (usually only the two hands are nailed)

Crucifixion

(Photocredit: AlanDejecacion picture 1 , picture 3, picture 4)

(Photocredit: parc cruz picture 2 , picture 5)

Related Entries: