To show his respect and gratitude to Jesus, the Filipino man, Rolando Ocampo, crucified himself every year and hung it on the Cross.
Crucifixion is a way of paying homage to God in the Philippines, a country of 75 million people with 92% of the population being Catholic. Like other Christians around the world, they always pay their respects to Jesus. Every year on Holy Week, on Friday, some men will kneel to be whipped until their backs bleed and are allowed to… crucify before Jesus.
This tradition has been around for decades in Pampanga province, Philippines. Christians here believe it is a way of repenting and showing gratitude to Jesus. One of them, is 56-year-old Rolando Ocampo.
In 1990, when his beloved wife gave birth, both his wife and daughter were in a dangerous, near-death situation. Mr. Ocampo prayed before God that if God saved his wife and children's lives, he promised to crucify himself and be grateful to Him every Good Friday for 15 years. Up to the present time, he has paid his respects to God 12 times.And the miracle happened, his wife and children recovered and lived healthy. It was this that made him believe more and more in the goodness and real spirituality of Jesus. And so on every holy Friday, he asked to crucify himself and hang on the cross. Mr. Ocampo always prepares all the items and sits alone to meditate before this sacred day.
Under the heat and the unpleasant smell of sand, sweat and blood mingled together, about 10,000 tourists from all over the world come to see the devout Ocampo crucified every year. During the ceremony, he put a barbed wire ring on his head, stripped naked and asked the people to nail his hands. The nails will be cleaned before being hammered into Mr. Ocampo. When driving, the nail must be sure to penetrate straight into the wooden cross.
Chuẩn bị trước giờ hành lễ
Chiếc đinh được đóng lên tay ông Ocampo
Mr. Ocampo lay in the hot Philippine sun until the ceremony ended at 3pm. Catholics have always believed that 3 p.m. is the time when Jesus died on the Cross.
In addition to Ocampo, another man named Ruben Enage, 53, also crucified himself 24 times; Mr. Fernando Mamangun has also crucified himself since 1990. They said this action is not only for their own benefit, but to protect their whole family.
Although the screws were disinfected and the medical staff prepared to respond to any emergency, the participants knew that there were risks.
Participants often prayed during his crucifixion, which they said would help them through the pain.
It can take up to two weeks for them to recover from their wounds, although repentant people see the pain as a small price to pay for giving thanks to God.
Others played their own chess as they walked barefoot down the street in an hour-long procession.
After hours of back-smashing, a man stopped and knelt to pray with his back still injured.
Some have described the act of self-beating and crucifixion as insane. But local beliefs are rooted in a personal relationship with God.
Ocampo said that after the crucifixion, “life goes on.”
Spirituality is a phenomenon that is difficult to explain in words, so always believe that Jesus always protects and protects His children.
