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A man has who had been nailed to a cross 35 times to mark Good Friday has said he is too old to keep being crucified.
Ruben Enaje, a 63-year-old carpenter and sign painter, has registered for the real-life crucifixion’s in a village north of Manila, in the Philippines, for the last 35 years.
In the 1980s, he survived nearly unscathed a fall from a three-story building, prompting him to undergo the crucifixion as thanksgiving for what he considered a miracle.
He then became a village celebrity for his role as ‘Christ’, but he has considered ending his annual religious penitence due to his age.
‘Because my body is getting weaker, I can’t tell — if there will be a next one or if this is really the final time,’ Ruben said.
The volunteers carry a wooden cross for more than half a mile while wearing a thorny crown of twigs under the hot summer sun.
Village actors dressed as Roman centurions hammered 4-inch (10-centimeter) stainless steel nails through their palms and feet, then set them aloft on wooden crosses for about 10 minutes.
Many of the mostly impoverished penitents undergo the ritual to atone for their sins, pray for the sick or for a better life, and give thanks for miracles.
The gruesome spectacle reflects the Philippines’ unique brand of Catholicism, which merges church traditions with folk superstitions.
Church leaders in the Philippines, the largest Catholic nation in Asia, have frowned on the crucifixions and self-flagellations.
Filipinos can show their faith and religious devotion, they say, without hurting themselves and by doing charity work instead, such as donating blood, but the tradition has lasted for decades.
Ruben is also concerned over the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
He said: ‘China has many big ships. Can you imagine what they could do?
‘This is why I always pray for peace in the world.’
The wars in Ukraine and Gaza are also helping sending prices of oil, gas and food soaring in the country, making it harder for people in rural communities to afford essentials.
Ruben said: ‘If these wars worsen and spread, more people, especially the young and old, would be affected. These are innocent people who have totally nothing to do with these wars.’
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