The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-04-04
FANATICS.
Atonement Exercises Of the HERNIA
nos Penirents in New MEXICO.

DENVER. Col. March 24.-The
Hermanos Penitents, a fanatical re-
lipious sect, numbering about 2,Vo
persons in the Territory OF New
Mexico. who believe in the periodic
al atonement of sin by iniiicting on
their bodies agonizing tortures, were
originally with the Roman Catholic
Church. but Archbishop Lancy,
shocked by the barbarous crueltles,
promulgated a decree banishing
them from communion. The mem
bers 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 devo,ees often travel hundreds
Of miles 10 undergo the prescribed
fortunes. Los Griegos, small Mex
lean village near Albuquerque,
boasts Of the crest body Of Peni-
tents. This morning the ceremonies
were inaugurated by an INTRODUCED
~ procession containing eboutthirty
men and women. The process Of
publication by torture began at ten
O'Clock. Five men naked TO the
waist. barefooted and wearing black
robes and hoods, completely con-
cealing their identity, were seen to
issue above the lodge house of the
sect. led by the master of ceremo-
mics. who carried the veritable cat
of-nine-tails. Two huge wooden
crosses, weighing two hundred and
fifty pounds each, were placed on
the naked shoulders of two of the
self torturers, the sharp edges cut
ting into the naked flesh, causing
the blood to squirt out and drop to
the ground. One Penitent produc-
ed a sharp goad, which he thrust in
to the flesh of his fellow sufferers
from time to time while the process
sion moved up the street to a wild
chant in Spanish. Hating once,
the crosses were transferred to the
other shoulders, the attendants ap-
plying their raw hide whips merci-
@iessly, each blow taking off the skin
and bits of flesh. The procession
took its way to the goal, half a mile
away. During the march not a
groan was heard or a word spoken,
but Just before reaching the goal, a
small adobe hut, the ordeal encoun-
tered there tried nerves.
For some distance before the door
cactus plants had been thickly
strewn upon the ground, and as the
parefooted cross bearers approached
1t ore hesitated. Instantly half a
dozen whips descended upon his
bare shoulders. and with a 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 fell with more vigor. Reach
ing the door of the house, the pro-
cession was lost sight of, a sentinel
guarding the entrance, and only
broken whips and poles and blood
bear witness of what transpired
within, Issuing from the house, the
procession reformed and turned to
their house of worship; and so the
h~orrifying exercises continued, one
band of Penitents succeeding anoth-
er until night, when a grand pro-
cession and chant wound up the ex-
ercises of the day. During these
marches to and from the House of
Refuge the scene at times was too
sickening for description. Men sub
mitted their bodies to the most mer-
CHESS fagelation, until in some in
stances the bare muscles was seen
quivering at every blow. The whole
proceeding was a savage attempt to
honor the Easter season, Hitherto
the law has made no attempt to
check these wild exercises, although
once a Penitent, who threw another
bearing a cross into the river neal
San Juan and drowned him, was
lynched by the Infatuated witnesses