Penitensya (Self-Flaggellation) Pls.See description
Here in Paombong,Bulacan (and in the other catholic regions here in the Philippines), there's this tradition of hurting oneself to wash away sins. one of this is called SELF-FLAGGELLATION or PENITENSYA that is held every morning of the Maundy Thursday of the Lenten Season. (shown in the video) people who engage in this kind of activity first gather in a place to wound their backs with a wood that has pieces of broken glasses or blade in it. (this process is called PAGTATATATAK which literally means TO LEAVE MARKS) for anesthetic purposes,they will drink small amounts of liquors in order to avoid the pain. after these wounds are made, the crowd will pray the Lord's Prayer (Tagalog Version) and then walk their way all around the barrio. in the midst of the hot weather,there is a possibility that one person would faint. but there's one way to prevent that, and it is to eat one fresh chicken egg. as you will all notice almost all the persons you see in the video are men, but many of our neighbors said that there's one instant that a female joined the pack. the last guy shown in the video drank too muck liquor that's why he was not able to enter the chapel (Bisita). (maybe he's dizzy and thinking that at the moment he's facing the ground he's already inside the chapel LOL) anyway,i love being a Filipino, but many sets an argument with this tradition. but still it's not easy to take away this kind of activities because in one way or another it's still a part of who we are as <b>...</b>
philippines filipinos bulacan tradition paombong suka penitensya lenten season self flaggellation maundy thursday sairries 25
