Holy Week in Pampanga: Live Crucifixion in Cutud, San Fernando

Live crucifixion re-enactments in the Philippines are always sensationalized by foreign media in the Philippines making foreigners believe the practice is prevalent in the Philippines. This coming Good Friday, throngs of curious people, tourists and foreign media will once again troop to a place in Pampanga called San Pedro Cutud to witness people flagellating themselves before being crucified on an improvised Golgotha complete with wooden crosses and stainless-steel nails driven on their palms and feet.

Note that the people submit to crucifixion for decades now as a form of penitence. The practice though is not really sanctioned by the Catholic Church.

Photo of actual crucified man in San Pedro Cutud (photo by Sidney Snoeck, used with permission)

For more pictures of the live crucifixions, check out Sidney Snoeck's blog about it here (Sidney is a Belgian who now calls the Philippines his second home)

For those wishing to personally witness the bloody event, herewith is the schedule and instructions on how to get to the crucifixion sites.

Live crucifixion Schedule April 10, 2009 Good Friday Holy Week 2009:

Barangay San Juan: 9am to 12nn
Barangay Sta. Lucia: 10am to 12nn
Barangay San Pedro Cutud: 12nn to 3pm

How to get to Cutud, San Fernando, Pampanga:

Driving directions to Cutud: take the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) exiting via San Fernando going left towards San Fernando city proper. Turn left under the San Fernando flyover to MacArthur Highway. When you reach a fork on the right with a statue (the so called rotonda), choose the right road (Gen Hizon) that leads to Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando (Coordinates: 15°1'42"N 120°41'34"E), and San Fernando City Hall on Consunji St.. Turn left on Sta. Lucia St then follow the road map to Cutud below (map provided by the Government of San Fernando City):



It takes time to figure out the map, to aid in deciphering it, you may refer to the road map via Wikimapia(centered on San fernando City Hall), click here. Should you get lost, ask people for directions (The local government of San Fernando should install street signs and assign traffic aides to guide people to the place).

How to commute to Cutud:

Commuting to Cutud on Good Friday may be a hassle as bus trips are mostly erratic due to lack of passengers in Metro Manila. Nevertheless, you may board a bus of Victory Liner (on EDSA Pasay or Cubao). Get off the Victory Liner Terminal in San Fernando then transfer to a jeep, tricycle to San Pedro Cutud.

Related Posts:

Holy Week in Paete, Laguna
Manila Visita Iglesia