The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-04-07
Religious Fanatics.

DENVER, COL, March 24.-The
HermanOS Penitents. a fanatical re-
ligious sect, Numbering about 1000
persons, in the Territory of New
Mexico, who believe in the periodical
atonement of sin by infiicting on their
bodies agOnizing tortures, were orig
inally with the Roman Catholic
Church but Archbishop Laney
shocked by the barbarous crueltes.
promulgated a decree banishing them
from communion. The members have
greatly thinned out since, and they
now inhabit principally but four
counties in the territory. Great care
is taken to prevent the discovery of
their identity by the inspector, and
all are masked while conducting their
annual penance. The devOtees often
travel hundreds of miles to undergo
the prescribed tortures. Los GriegOs,
a small Mexican village near Albu-
querque, boasts of the great body ol
penitents. This morning the cere-
monies were inaugurated by an
introductory procession containing
about thirty men and women. The
process of publication by torture be-
gan at 10 O'Clock. Five men, naked
to the waist, harefooted, and wearing
black robes and hoods completely
concpaling their identity, were see
to issue above the lodge house of the
sect, led by the master Of ceremonies
who carried the veritable cat-of-nine
tails. Two huge wooden crosses,
weighing $50 pounds each, Were
placed on the naked shoulders of two
OF the self-tnrturers. The sharp edges
cutting into the naked flesh caused
the blood to squirt out and drop to
the ground. One penitent produced
sharp gOad, which he thrust into
the flesh of his fellow sufferers from
time to time, while the procession
moved up the street to wild chant in
Spanish. Hating once, the crosses
were transferred to the others should
ers, the attendants applying their
rawhide chips merciIessly, each blow
taking off the skin and bits of flesh.
The procession took its way to the
goal. a-half a mile away. For some
distance before the door cactus plants
had been strewn upon the ground,
and as the the barefooted cross. bearers
approached 1t one hesitated. Instant
ly half dozen whips descended upon
his bare shoulders and, with bound,
he sprang into the thorny plants, his
every step and the footsteps of his
followers being marked with blood.
As the torture grew more terrible the
chant grew louder, and the thongs
ie!i with more VigOr. Reaching the
door of the house the procession was
lost sight of, sentinel guarding the
entrance, and only broken whips and
poles and blood bear witness of what
transplred within. Issuing from the
house, the procession reformed and
turned to their house of worship, and
50 the horrifying exercises continued,
one banl of penitentS succeeding an
other, until night, when'a grand pro-
ces~ion and chant wound up the ex.
ercioes for the. day. During these
marches to and from the house of
refuge, the scene at times was too
sickening for description. Men sub
United their bodies to the most mer-
CHESS fiagellations until, in some in
stances, the bare muscle was seen
qnivrring at every blow. The whole
ding was savage attempt ia
rrr he Easter season. Hitherto,
he law has made no attempt to check
thr~e wild exercises, although once a
= 'i'tnt. VIII" threw another bearing
a." the river near San Juan
lrowned him, was lynched by
|@ ihfuriated witnesses"