San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites - San Fernando, Pampanga

Known to be passionate about religion, Filipinos take into heart the Holy Week celebration. Several traditional activities are practiced like Pabasa, Visita Iglesia, Senakulo, etc. The most famous is The San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites.

The San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites is a Holy Week re-enactment of Christ’s Passion and Death which takes place in Barangay San Pedro Cutud, City of San Fernando, Pampanga in the Philippines. (Source: Wikipedia.com)

This is also my first destination for my first ever photo-walk experience.

Following the annual tradition, a passion play culminating with the actual nailing of at least three flagellants to a wooden cross atop the makeshift Calvary is conducted. A dozen or so penitents - mostly men but with the occasional woman - are taken to a rice field in the barrio of San Pedro Cutud, 3km from San Fernando, Pampanga and nailed to a cross using two-inch stainless steel nails that have been soaked in alcohol to disinfect them. The penitents are taken down when they feel cleansed of their sin. Other penitents flagellate themselves using bamboo sticks tied to a rope. (http://www.etravelpilipinas.com)

Disclaimer: I do not approve these acts; I'm not even a Catholic. I believe that Jesus died on the cross 2000 years ago to save us from spiritual death and to let us live a full and abundant life, and that nobody needs to suffer like his suffering to be forgiven for sins. When Jesus said to his disciples to carry their cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24), he did not mean it literally. To carry your cross means giving your whole life to God and never be ashamed of it, even if it means being mocked or death.

It was hard to keep up with too much crowd and only using a 18-55mm lens for my Nikon D5100. I promised my self to purchase at least a 55-300mm for my next festival visit. Anyhow, please excuse me for my not-so-beautiful-i-am-only-a-beginner photos.

The man carrying his own cross where he will also be crucified afterwards.

People following the procession.

San Fernando Public Market full of people waiting for the procession to pass by.

On this photo, you will see a blue Samsung cellphone covering the face of the man lying above the cross. Naman kuya, di ko alam kung ikaw yung wrong timing or ako!!!

San Fernando Church.
Even if I am not a Catholic, I really love how the old churches in the Philippines looks like.

Being very afraid of blood, I find it hard to look at this man, and all the others doing the same thing as above, but hey, for the sake of experience, I decided to move a little closer.

Next thing I know, I was hit by one of the flagellants -- here you go!

Here's the "man who can't be moved". I almost wanted to ask him "Kuya, sure ka na ba magpapapako ka?" when he passed in front of me. But of course, he's sure. He's been doing it for 26 years now!

We asked a local what time will the crucifixion be and he said it will be around 1PM or so. But since it was already pass lunch time and our stomachs were growling, begging to be filled. So we decided to leave the procession and eat first in a nearby Chowking Branch.

Here's my boyfriend, Mark, on his gutom-na-ako-kasalanan-mo-to-sobrang-init-look.

It was around 1:00PM and we somehow knew we will be late for the main event, so we decided to take the wheeler instead. We asked a "Wheeler" driver how much will it cost if he will bring us to Cutud, the crucifixion place, and he offered 150Php, saying "mura na yun!" That was a fre*king lie!  After we had our lunch, we asked for the help of the Security Guard and Crew of Chowking on how much the fare is for a wheeler to Cutud SHOULD BE. They did not say how much exactly is it but instructed us to walk past the bridge near San Fernando Church where the wheeler station is. They said the drivers will charge us the correct amount there. 

This is how a wheeler looks like.

The road to Brgy. Cutud

They were right! We only paid 40Php! From the drop off-point, we walked for about fifteen to twenty minutes to the crucifixion place.

The walk. The heat. The sun. The crowd. IT WAS CRAZY! Good thing we brought umbrellas, somehow it protected us from direct sun.

By around 2PM, we arrived on the field and too many people were already there.

Foreigners on top of the truck they brought.

Special place for Media Men from all over the world.

Some other people.

It was hard to be in a perfect spot. The place is too crowded and media equipment were around the hill where the three crosses stood.

I'm not quite sure if these two were teenagers. But they appear to be, yes. Don't worry, they were not really crucified.

It was definitely an exhausting day! But it was a bumpy experience I will never doubt to have.

You may want to visit this site as well for more amazing photos and videos.

Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for me. I promise to continue living a happy life you gave me. I know you are always there, watching over and keeping me from harm. I love you, always and forever.