Via Crusis Festival – The Way of the Cross

The Festival

A religious event where devotees especially in Cebu and Pampanga, and the neighboring cities and towns do penitential procession through the streets as a reenactment of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on his way to Golgotha. In Cebu, the Stations of the Cross is played on 12 hectares of rolling hills, and the life-size images of the fourteen stations are made similar to those that are used in the Way of the Cross held in Lourdes, France.
People of Catholic faith from all walks of life, from all over the Philipines, come to this annual event for different reasons, but commonly for the atonement of their sins.
Via Crucis aims to help devout individuals to reminisce the suffering of Jesus Christ to which He was crucified to redeem the sins of every Christian who believes in Him, offer spiritual pilgrimage of prayers, through the scenes where the Christ underwent suffering and death.
This act of devotion became one of the most popular event for Roman Catholics, and other Christian religions believe in the same faith.
During the season of this observance, devotees with vows to the Lord come along in the Way of the Cross, in bare backs inflicting pain through variety of whips as an act of atonement for their sins.
In San Fernando, Pampanga, the same act is held as they call it the San Pedro Cutud Lenten observance, and attracted thousands of spectators of domestic and foreign alike, and has renamed to Maleldo, Kapampangan term for Holy Week.
Maleldo has its unique way of commemorating the Passion of the Christ but features same scenes as the sorrowful crucifixion of the saviour Jesus Christ.
Pasyon, the chanting of the passion and death of Christ, the solemn meditation of the Way of the Cross, and magdarame, local term for the penitents, carry wooden crosses and whippping themselves with bamboo sticks, are some of the preserved rituals of Kapampangan in their observance of the Holy Week.

Origin

Via Crucis is Latin for The Way of the Cross, or sometimes called The Way of Sorrows refers to the portrayal of the passion of the Christ and the devotion commemorating it. Chapel devotion started with St. Francis of Assisi, and in the medieval period, extended throughout the Roman Catholic church. Observed during the Lenten Season, but commonly at the evening during Good Friday.

History

Fifty two years ago, Via Crucis is first perfomed by local volunteer artists and has become notable even for San Pedro Cutud. Year 1962, an individual name Artemio AÒoza first to volunteer to be nailed to the cross on a wooden cross, aiming to be good religious leader and a faith healer. With this act of devotion, the event of crucifixion and penitentsí whipping took place every year, with number of participants grew, inflicting pain to themselves for their own sins.
In 1965, the event of the Via Crucis held in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga caught the interest of the entire nation and became international tourist attraction.

The Scoop

Biyernes Santo, vernacular term for Good Friday, is when San Pedro Cutud hosts thousands of foreign and local tourists to witness the volunteering of actual nailing to the cross of the penitents and became the main highlight in this event of the Lenten Season in Pampanga.
In Succession

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