Roman Catholic devotees in northern Philippines nailed themselves to crosses today as hundreds gathered to watch the annual Good Friday crucifixion re-enactment.
Two inch nails were hammered through the hands and feet of the nine penitents, eight local men and one Danish filmmaker, by men dressed as Roman centurions before they were hung for several minutes on wooden crosses in the small village of Cutud.
The re-enactments are a mixture of local folk beliefs and the global Christian faith, although church leaders have spoken against the practice which attracts large crowds each year in the northern Pampagna province.
Afterwards, the men are carefully brought down and treated immediately by on-site clinics.
Speaking to ITN, one devotee explained why he had endured the ritual seven times: "I feel lighter and it feels good after being crucified. It feels like all the sins you've committed are washed away."
