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A Filipino Catholic man playing the role of Jesus Christ in an annual Good Friday reenactment of his crucifixion was nailed to a wooden cross for the 33rd time in a row last week.
Ruben Enaje, 58, from San Pedro Cutud Barangay in San Fernando City, volunteered to be nailed on Good Friday since the 1980s, but recently announced that it would be his last imitation of Jesus Christ.
He is currently looking for a successor willing to receive four inch nails in his hands and feet and to be carried on a large wooden cross for about five minutes every Holy Friday. He also wants this person to be humble and not brag about his particular role.
"I do not want to do this until next year," Enaje told Reuters. "What I'm looking for in my successor is that he serves as a role model for his community and that he has good manners and values, not someone who prides himself on his role or who is so proud. "
The tradition of reconstructing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in San Pedro Cutud dates back to 1962 and was inspired by the play written by a local playwright.
It has become one of the most popular religious festivals in the Philippines, attracting thousands of Christian spectators each year. But it is also a very controversial event.
Catholic leaders and public health officials condemn the practice of crucifixion and try to discourage people from participating in the annual festival.
Although the sores caused by the metal nails take up to two weeks to heal, the religious fanatics who volunteer to be nailed to the cross say that it is a small price to pay for the possibility of to express their faith in a particular way.
-Odditycentral
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