Crucifixion ‘Star’ Nears End Of His Vow

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga – Ruben Enaje is near the end of his 27-year vow.
Enaje will be nailed to the cross for the 26th straight year today, Good Friday.
The “crucifixion” of Enaje and 20 other penitents has been the high point of the Good Friday observance in Barangay San Pedro Cutud, an event that draws thousands of the devout and the curious to the small village.
But the 51-year-old artist feels he is getting too old to continue the ritual. “I can already feel my body complaining,” Enaje told the Manila Bulletin in Filipino.
He looked at the huge wooden cross that he keeps in his workplace. “This will be my retirement cross. I put my heart into making this because this will be part of my last performance next year,” he said.
Next year he will have completed his 27-year vow – nine years for each member of his family.
“I think 27 years is enough… I have already told the organizers of the activity of my plan,” Enaje said.
Being nailed to the cross is his way of thanking God after he survived a fall from a three-storey building in 1985.
Remigio dela Cruz, barangay captain of San Pedro Cutud, said it would be difficult to find a replacement for Enaje.
“Every year, there are at least 14 persons being nailed here. What makes it difficult for us is to find someone with as good character as Ben’s (Enaje),” said dela Cruz.
The first time he was nailed to the cross in 1986, Enaje said he felt more excited than nervous, and even watched as the nails were driven into his palms.
“Being chosen to play the role of Jesus comes with a responsibility, and that includes being a role model for the entire community,” he said.
Enaje said one other reason he is quitting is the pressure from his neighbors who expect him to lead by example.
“One time, I shouted at a group of children playing in front of my house because they were very noisy and they were disturbing me, I was confronted later by one of the parents,” Enaje said.
“They said someone who is nailed to the cross like Jesus Christ should not be ill-mannered,” he said.
He said his neighbors also accuse him of longing for media attention and making money out of the ritual.
“Every time the media visited me for an interview, some people here would immediately ask how much was given to me as payment for an interview,” said Enaje.
Enaje said he had enough blessings to think of exploiting his vow.
Aside from the protection he and his family have been receiving from God, he said he has enough means to buy a small truck and a tricycle.
He also makes money from applying letters on streamers.
Enaje lamented what he described as the “commercialization” of the ritual.
He said he knew of at least three persons who had sold their performances in other parts of Luzon. One of them almost lost his right arm because of an infection, the other one was ostracized in the community since he would usually run wild after having a drink too many, and the third drowned in two-inch deep water.
Adriel Aguilar, of the San Fernando City Tourism Office, said the reenactment of Christ’s crucifixion in the barangay started in 1955 as part of the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), a tableau based on the passion of the Christ written by Ricardo Navarro.
In 1962 when a quack doctor from the nearby Apalit town had himself nailed to the cross to fulfill his vision of becoming a religious leader and a full-fledged healer.
“Since then, not a year has passed without an actual crucifixion taking place during reenactment,” said Aguilar.
He said Navarro’s involvement in the tableau was passed on to his son Ricardo then to his grandson Allan who is the present director of the play.
Enaje took the lead role in the early 1990s and drew the attention of foreign communities via the internet.
It became so popular that some foreigners also had themselves nailed to the cross.
In 2006 a European, however, opted out just as was about to be nailed.
At least 20 penitents are scheduled to be crucified today.
There were advanced crucifixions. Last Wednesday, three penitents were nailed into crosses in Barangay Manibaug in Porac town.
Pampanga Archbishop Paciano Aniceto said the Church disapproves of the ritual.
“The Church does not want you to punish yourself with physical sufferings. Sincere reflection and doing good things to your neighbors are more important,” Aniceto said.
CBCP President and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma echoed Aniceto’s view, saying that the Church would rather have people renewing their faith than inflicting pain on themselves.
“While we are trying to discourage these practices we cannot also judge their intention, especially those who have made it as their vow,” Palma said.
Palma said the Church would rather have the faithful focus on the spiritual aspect of their lives than on external manifestations of their faith.
“We do not judge and condemn [the practice] but we discourage it,” he added.
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/356411/crucifixion-star-nears-end-of-his-vow
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