Self flagellation during Holiweek in Infanta, Quezon

     My friend told me that I'm a "kaladkarin" - her term for people that you can easily ask even for a short notice to join you if you wanted to go somewhere especially if its out of town.

     Whenever there is a Holiday, I normally spend it in other places, specially in the place that I never been before. But this Holy week, I opted to spend the rest of the week in my parents house in Infanta, Quezon.

     Holy week is special for devotees in Infanta because this is the time where they can be united in the suffering of Jesus.

Early morning during good Friday, we wake up early to see the penitensya (penitence). To see the self flagellating people who wore skirt made of banana leaves & hood made of cogon grass.

self flagellation

    They have their panghampas ( an instrument used in scourging)  made of wooden pegs. At first, they will hit their naked back using the panghampas and then when its already numb, a person assigned to do small cuts using small blade will start to put small cuts in the flagellants back so that the blood can easily flow. These men do this because of panata (devotion)

    The Penitensya will start in the church where they will pray first and then start their journey and walk barefooted  towards the beach while stroking their swollen & blooded back with wooden pegs. It also end up in the chapel near the beach where some of the devotees will pray  with them.

    After the prayer, they will go to the sea to wash themselves and then go on to their normal & ordinary lives gain.

 You cannot tell who they are except when you see their back because at all times during the self sacrificing flagellation, their faces & identities are hidden inside the cogon grass hat.

 


 In the afternoon of Friday, the people are gathered in the church to hear the 7 last words of Jesus & a mass. The images of  Jesus, Mother Mary & Saints are decorated with flowers & put on top of wooden poles for the procession.

During procession, devotees follow the image of their patron saints for the street way of the cross.

Those images are carried by people, mostly men to their shoulders.

       You can also see children wearing costumes. They are like angels wearing whites & have feather-like wings.

Most of this children wore this because they are "alay"(offer). Some of them got sick when they are still very young & their parents promised to the Lord that if they get well, they will dedicated thier child to God.