Kids in Pampanga photographed flogging themselves during Holy Week

[Monseratto]

Would you do this to your kid for your religious belief???

By PATRICIA DENISE CHIU, GMA NewsApril 25, 2014 9:23am

The sleepy town of Cutud in San Fernando, Pampanga has long been known for the ritualistic floggings and crucifixions that villagers stage during Holy Week. But there were at least two unlikely participants in this year’s ritual in the province—children, who were photographed flogging themselves.

Photographer Jay Javier was in Angeles City, Pampanga during Good Friday, and was shocked to find two boys among the flagellants.





“We were just passing through when I saw [the first boy.] I thought costume lang, he was being cute. Pero na-notice ko, 'yung flagellum niya na made out of wood or bamboo, he was hitting himself in the back, so kinunan namin,” Javier told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

Javier was disturbed by the fact that repeated hittings would be enough to bruise the young boy’s back. Javier noted that it wasn’t enough the boy was hitting himself—another older participant even offered to wipe the boy’s back in blood to make the whole scene “more realistic.”

“May lumapit na I assume is his father siguro, sabi, ‘Lagyan natin para maganda. Bina-brush niya with the flagellum, binudbud niya sa bata, sa likod,’” Javier said.

A child flagellant's back already appears bruised before blood was smeared on it. According to photographer Jay Javier, the blood is actually from someone else. The Catholic Church frowns on the practice of flagellation. Jay Javier

The photographer noted that he saw another child doing the same thing, in a long line of about 15 other adult devotees.

“'Yung pangalawa, nakita namin sa isang line, tapos may maliit na dumaan, obviously bata,” he said.

DSWD, Church reactions

Meanwhile, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman assured the public that parents will be warned against the practice.

“I have instructed the field office in central Luzon to get in touch with the parents and to provide them counseling on this unfortunate circumstance,” she said in a text message sent to GMA News Online.

The Catholic Church has long discouraged the practice, saying devotion can be shown in many other ways.

Fr. Rafael Paras, parish priest of Sta. Lucia in Cutud, said physically harming oneself is not the way Jesus Christ would have wanted his church to act during Holy Week. Paras however acknowledged that the Catholic Church in the Philippines does not go so far as to condemn the practice.

“Ang una sa lahat, ang inang simbahan ay 'di sinusulong ang ganitong paraan ng pagpapakasakit bilang paghanda sa pagdating ni Kristo. Hindi ito sinusulong although hindi rin naman ito kino-condemn ng Inang Simbahan dahil nakikita naman ng simbahan na para sa mga deboto personally, ito siguro 'yung paraan nila para sa pagbabalik-loob sa Panginoon,” he said. —KG, GMA News

[Bin Diesel]

Ogag mga magulang niyan. Anong malay ng bata sa penitensiya.

[yebo]

proud pa nga e, "dats my boy!". malamang yan may bagong post na album pa sa FB si mommy at daddy, "junior's first penitensiya!" (after "junior's baptism" and "junior's bday!")

sa totoo lang, madaming tao na mahirap maintindihan. basta "in" o "sikat" sige lang ng sige. sabagay walang pinagkaiba yan dun sa mga "proud" na magulang kasi star dancer sa club si neneng at laging nasa vip room.

[Red Advent 04]

kaya nga minsan iisipin mo na, nag papakita ng mga ganiyan pero pag katapos naman nyaan e sila naman ang mga walang hiya din.

[badkuk]

Me mas extreme pa ata diyan. i saw a docu a while back involving Palestinian kids coming of age ... by hacking their heads with barber's razors. Not sure if it was religious or political.

Look, if the spirit of the Lord or whatever compels them to do that, fine, pero sa sarili nila gawin....and sa akin lang, the be-all and end-all of being a good Christian is how we act day to day, not just during Holy Week.

[miLes]

Me mas extreme pa ata diyan. i saw a docu a while back involving Palestinian kids coming of age ... by hacking their heads with barber's razors. Not sure if it was religious or political.

Look, if the spirit of the Lord or whatever compels them to do that, fine, pero sa sarili nila gawin....and sa akin lang, the be-all and end-all of being a good Christian is how we act day to day, not just during Holy Week.

sadly maraming ganyan, penitensiya sa holy week then balik uli sa inom, gambling, tambay after