Filipino man has himself crucified for the 35th time to pray for world peace this Good Friday

It is Holy Fridaya well-known Filipino villager had himself nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to recreate the suffering of Jesus Christ, to, according to him, pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the South China Sea.

In front of a hundred spectators, Ruben Enaje, a 63-year-old carpenter and sign painter, was nailed to a cross along with 9 other devotees. These crucifixions have become an annual religious spectacle that attracts tourists to three rural towns in the province of Pampanga, north of Manila.

The villager is almost a local celebrity

Enaje is known as a local celebrity for his role as “Christ” in the local Via Crucis recreation. The bloody ritual resumed last year following a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Before the crucifixion, Enaje said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press last Thursday night that he had considered giving up the annual penance because of his age, but that he might not refuse villagers’ requests that he pray for their sick relatives and those affected by all kinds of illnesses.

According to the man, the need for prayers has increased in an alarming period of wars and conflicts in the world: “If these wars worsen and spread, more people, especially the young and old, will be affected. “They are innocent people who have nothing to do with these wars.”said Enaje.

Enaje also seemed knowledgeable and aware of how this has affected the Philippines, pointing out that despite the distance, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have raised the prices of oil, gas and food, affecting the scarce incomes of the poor, said.

On the other hand, another aspect that worries the man is the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which is why he also includes the conflict in his prayers. “China has many large ships, can you imagine what they are capable of doing?” he asked.