Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-03-26
SAVAGE FANATICS.
THEIR PURIFICATION BY PENANCE

Singular Sect In New Mexico Horrible Self
Inflicted Torture-Jonrney of Blood,
Th0rns and Scourges.
The Hermands Penitents, fanatical
religious sect, numbering about two thou
sand persons in the territory of New Mex
ico who believe in the periodical atone
ment of sin by inflicting on their bodies
agonizing tOrtures, were originally with
the Roman Catholic church, but Arch
bishop Laney, shocked by the barbarous
cruelties, promulgated 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 de-
votees often travel hundreds of miles to
undergo the prescribed torture.
Los Griegos, a small Mexican village
near Albuquerque, boasts of tho great
body of penitents. Saturday morning the
ceremonies were inaugurated by an intro
ductory procession containing about 80
men and women. The process of purifica-
ton by torture began at 10 o'clock.
Five men, naked to the waist, bare
footed, and wearing black robes and hoods,
completely concealing their identity, were
seen to issue above the lodge house of the
sect, led by the master of ceremonies, who
carried cat of-niue tails. Two huge
wooden. crosses, weighing $50 pounds each,
we're placed on the naked shoulders of two
of the self-torturers, the sharp edges cut.
ting into the naked flesh caused the blood
to squirt out and drop to the ground. One
penitent produced a 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 shoulders, the
attendants applying their raw.hide whips
mercilessly, each blow taking off the skin
and bits Of flesh. The procession took its
way to the Jail half mile away. During
the march not a groan was heard or a word
spoken.
terrible Walk Over Cactus.
For some distance before the door
cactus plants had been thickly strewn
upon the ground, and as the barefooted
cross bearers approached it, one 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 fol-
| lowers CelnS Hdrkeu WILL DiOOu. AS CiS
torture grew more terrible the chant
grew louder and the thongs foil with more
vigor. Reaching the door Of tic house the
procession 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 o.
worship, and so the horrifying exercise:
continued, ono band of penitents succeed
ing another until night, when grand
procession and chant wound up the exer
cises for the day. During these marche.
to and from the house OF refuge the scen.
at times was too sickening for description
Men submitted their bodies to the most
merciless tlaseiation until, in some in
stances, the bare muscle was seen quiverin.
at every blow. The whole proceeding was
savage attempt to honor the Easter sea
son. Hitherto the law has made no at
tempt to heck these wild exercises
although rr.e panitent, who threw
another by,,t ln. = ross into the river, nea
San Juan, and III Ened him, was ,yuche'
by the infll.iat..;; witnesses.