Filipinos mark Good Friday with crucifixions

CUTUD, Philippines--More than a dozen Filipinos were nailed to crosses and others whipped their backs until they were bloody in a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday. The Catholic Church disapproves of the annual ritual of devotion but says it cannot stop people in Asia's largest Roman Catholic country from being voluntarily nailed to a cross or flagellating themselves, only educate them that it isn't necessary.In the 55th year of the festival, Christ was played by local Ruben Inaje, who said he was being nailed to a cross for the 24th time, as thousands of locals and foreign tourists watched."When they put the nails in my palm, that's very painful," said the 49-year-old before his crucifixion. Nails are also driven through his feet....
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Picture Left:Crowd take pictures of a penitent nailed to a wooden cross as part of a voluntary ritual to mark the death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday in the town of San Pedro Cutud in Pampanga province, north of Manila April 2, 2010.(REUTERS/Cheryl Ravelo)