The annual crucifixion ritual in the Philippines, primarily undertaken by impoverished individuals, serves as a means of seeking forgiveness, praying for the sick, and giving thanks for miracles.

A villager from the Philippines has participated in a grim Good Friday tradition by being nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time, symbolizing the suffering of Jesus Christ. This year, the villager, Ruben Enaje, dedicated his act to praying for peace in Ukraine, Gaza, and the disputed South China Sea.

Enaje, a 63-year-old carpenter and sign painter, was one of ten devotees who underwent the crucifixion ritual in Pampanga province, attracting over a hundred spectators. Despite a pause last year due to the pandemic, the tradition resumed, drawing tourists to witness the annual religious spectacle.

Enaje has gained local fame for portraying "Christ" in the reenactment of the Way of the Cross during Lent.

Enaje, speaking to The Associated Press over the phone Thursday night, disclosed that he had contemplated ending his annual religious penance due to his advancing age. However, he expressed his inability to refuse requests from villagers asking him to pray for sick relatives and various other ailments. He emphasized the heightened need for prayers during a troubling period marked by global conflicts and wars.

Enaje remarked, "If these wars worsen and spread, more people, especially the young and old, would be affected. These are innocent people who have totally nothing to do with these wars."

He also highlighted the indirect impacts of conflicts in distant regions like Ukraine and Gaza, which have led to soaring prices of oil, gas, and food in places like the Philippines. This surge in prices has exacerbated the challenges faced by impoverished individuals in making ends meet.

Enaje also expressed concerns about the escalating territorial dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, noting the obvious power imbalance in the conflict. He pointed out the disparity in resources, saying, "China has many big ships. Can you imagine what they could do?"

He emphasized his consistent prayers for global peace, acknowledging the potential consequences of such imbalanced conflicts. Additionally, Enaje mentioned his intentions to seek relief for people in southern Philippine provinces affected by recent flooding and earthquakes.

Reflecting on his personal journey, Enaje recounted surviving a fall from a three-story building in the 1980s, an incident he considered a miracle. He initiated the crucifixion ritual as an act of thanksgiving, which he continued as his loved ones recovered from serious illnesses and as he secured more job contracts in carpentry and sign painting.

"As my body weakens, I can't predict if there will be another crucifixion or if this is truly the final time," Enaje remarked, contemplating the future of his annual religious penance.

During the annual crucifixions on a dusty hill in Enaje's village of San Pedro Cutud in Pampanga and two other nearby communities, he and fellow devotees, adorned with thorny crowns of twigs, bore heavy wooden crosses on their backs for over a kilometer under the scorching summer sun. Village actors, garbed as Roman centurions, drove 4-inch stainless steel nails through their palms and feet before hoisting them onto wooden crosses for approximately 10 minutes amidst gathering dark clouds, while a large crowd prayed and captured photos.

Among the spectators this year was Maciej Kruszewski, a tourist from Poland experiencing the crucifixions for the first time.

"Here, we aim to understand what Easter means in a completely different part of the world," said Kruszewski.

Elsewhere, other penitents traversed village streets barefoot, flagellating their exposed backs with sharp bamboo sticks and wooden fragments. In previous years, some participants had resorted to using broken glass to open cuts on the penitents' backs, ensuring the ritual's intensity.

The majority of the penitents, many of whom are impoverished, participate in the ritual to seek forgiveness for their sins, offer prayers for the sick or for improved circumstances, and express gratitude for miracles they've experienced.

This grim spectacle mirrors the unique blend of Catholicism found in the Philippines, which intertwines church traditions with folk superstitions.

Despite disapproval from church leaders in the Philippines, the largest Catholic nation in Asia, regarding crucifixions and self-flagellations, the tradition persists. Leaders advocate for alternative expressions of faith and religious devotion, such as charitable acts like blood donation, as a means of demonstrating piety without inflicting harm upon oneself. Nevertheless, the tradition has endured for decades.