Es una tradición arraigada en ciertas localidades en la muy católica Filipinas con motivo del Viernes Santo: fieles clavados en cruces para emular las últimas horas de Cristo, un ritual sangriento que no gusta a la Iglesia de Roma.

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A lo largo de todo el día, decenas de crucifixiones tuvieron lugar en ciertas regiones del archipiélago ante miles de curiosos llegados para ver asimismo el espectáculo de los penitentes flagelándose hasta sangrar.

Al amanecer, varios hombres disfrazados de soldados romanos sacaron en procesión a Willy Salvador, un pescador de 59 años, por las calles de San Juan, localidad al norte de Manila, mientras el protagonista hacía gestos de dolor en silencio.

“Sé que no me creerá, pero Dios me ayudó a recuperarme de una depresión”, declaraba a la AFP Salvador, que cada año desde 2006 representa a Jesucristo en San Juan. “Es mi forma de agradecerle que me haya curado”.

Estas procesiones, que representan uno de los momentos más señalados de la Pasión de Jesucristo, son la forma más extrema de piedad practicada en ciertos pueblos de Filipinas, país en elque el 80% de su población es católica.

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AFP / Willy Salvador, 59, hangs from a cross as part of his penitence during a reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for Good Friday celebrations ahead of Easter in the village of San Juan, Pampanga, north of Manila on March 25, 2016. Christian devotees were nailed to crosses in the Philippines on March 25 as Asia's Catholic heartland marked Easter with an extreme display of faith. / AFP / NOEL CELIS
AFP / Willy Salvador (L), 59, is lowered to the ground after being nailed to a cross as part of his penitence during a reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for Good Friday celebrations ahead of Easter in the village of San Juan, Pampanga, north of Manila on March 25, 2016. Christian devotees were nailed to crosses in the Philippines on March 25 as Asia's Catholic heartland marked Easter with an extreme display of faith. / AFP / NOEL CELIS
PHILIPPINES-RELIGION-EASTER
AFP / Willy Salvador, 59, is nailed to a cross as part of his penitence during a reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for Good Friday celebrations ahead of Easter in the village of San Juan, Pampanga, north of Manila on March 25, 2016. Christian devotees were nailed to crosses in the Philippines on March 25 as Asia's Catholic heartland marked Easter with an extreme display of faith. / AFP / NOEL CELIS
PHILIPPINES-RELIGION-EASTER
AFP / A devotee grimaces as he hangs from a cross after being nailed to it as part of his penitence during the reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for Good Friday celebrations ahead of Easter at the village of Cutud near San Fernando, Pampanga province, north of Manila on March 25, 2016. Christian devotees were nailed to crosses in the Philippines on March 25 as Asia's Catholic heartland marked Easter with an extreme display of faith. / AFP / NOEL CELIS
PHILIPPINES-RELIGION-EASTER
AFP / Men dressed as Romans raise up carpenter Ruben Enaje (C), 55, after he was nailed to a cross as part of his penitence during the reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ during Good Friday celebrations ahead of Easter at the village of Cutud near San Fernando, Pampanga province, north of Manila on March 25, 2016. Christian devotees were nailed to crosses in the Philippines on March 25 as Asia's Catholic heartland marked Easter with an extreme display of faith. / AFP / NOEL CELIS

Bajo un sol de justicia, cientos de hombres caminaron descalzos, con la cara cubierta por un paño, flagelándose la espalda con trozos de bambú anudados en cuerdas.

Al unísono, todos se detuvieron y se tiraron al suelo. La sangre brotaba. Un penitente vomitó.

“La Iglesia desaconseja este tipo de acciones porque Jesucristo ya vivió estos momentos por nosotros y no hay motivo para repetirlos”, declaraba a la AFP el padre Douglas Badong, rector de la parroquia de Quiapo, en la capital filipina.

Pero para muchos, como Claro Tolentino, responsable de la ciudad de San Juan, las crucifixiones son una parte integrante de la cultura y tradiciones de Filipinas, convertida al catolicismo durante la conquista española en el siglo XVI. “Todo el mundo debe respetar la cultura y creencias de nuestra población”, aseveró Tolentino.

PHILIPPINES-RELIGION-EASTER
AFP / Participants lie on the ground after whipping their bloodied backs with bamboo as part of their penitence during a ceremony reenacting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for Good Friday celebrations ahead of Easter in the village of San Juan, Pampanga, north of Manila on March 25, 2016. Christian devotees were nailed to crosses in the Philippines on March 25 as Asia's Catholic heartland marked Easter with an extreme display of faith. / AFP / NOEL CELIS
PHILIPPINES-RELIGION-EASTER
AFP / Participants whip their bloodied backs with bamboo as part of their penitence during the re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for Good Friday celebrations ahead of Easter in the village of San Juan, Pampanga, north of Manila on March 25, 2016. Christian devotees were nailed to crosses in the Philippines on March 25 as Asia's Catholic heartland marked Easter with an extreme display of faith. / AFP / NOEL CELIS

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