holy week in Pampanga: #MALELDO 2010

Holy week in the Philippines is the only time of the year when shopping malls are closed, when atm's are offline and when the transit system is out of operation from Maundy Thursday till Easter Sunday. If you don't have cable tv, you might end up agonizing over old films played over local channels.

 I usually spend this time with my family in Pangasinan but a 6-hour ride is just excruciating so Teresa and I ended up in Pampanga to meet our friend Ariel.

Maleldo 2010.

Ariel in Pampanga...

Since the meeting place was San Fernando, I dared him to take me to Barngay Cutud to witness Maleldo 2010.

“Maleldo,” a contracted Kapampangan word meaning “holy day,” has been used here to refer to the crucifixions that have become the focus of the international media every Good Friday. Here, local penitents carry the cross up a hill then have themselves nailed to it.

 

Maleldo 2010, Cudud Pampanga

Cudud is a 15 minute ride from SM-San Fernando. It was already 2:30pm when we got there and there was already a very long line of cars parked on the both sides of the street stretching more than 3 kilometers to the site.  Along the way, you occasionally see hooded penitents beating their bloody backs with bamboo floggers.

and that's real blood....

It feels painful seeing it in person.My first time up close. We were advised to stay away or else blood could  could stain valued shirts. I noticed that there are so many tourists joining the long walk back and forth amidst the heat of the sun.

I had no idea what to expect. When we got there, this view really chilled me to my spine.

feels like being in Calvary....

...and those are real people nailed on the cross

We went up the hill to see things up close. Ariel got the chance to capture those moment while Teresa and I were just fixed there in awe............

ready to be nailed......

the passion of Christ?

On our way down, we saw one previously crucified  interviewed by the press.While other go straight to the ambulance and the hospital, he was up on his feet with a big smile on his face.

still active after the  the crucifixion

I didn't know how to feel. I heard that the Catholic church doesn't recognize the legitimacy of this festival. But Faith and Spirituality, like love is expressed in different ways.If this is these people's way of expressing their faith, I can't help but admire them for their resolve......

photo credit: Ariel a.k.a Sebastian