The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-05-29
MEXICAN PENITENTS.
A Peculiar Form of Religious
Worship.
Scorged With Whips of Woven Cords
Some Odd Features of Life in the
New Mexico Hamlets.

Correspondence of the Constitution.
LAS VEGAS, n. NJ, May 16.--Five miles
from this city. near the Hot Springs of New
Mexico, is small hamlet called Las Vigiles.
1t nestles close under the hills on the left bank
of the Gallinas river, and mile or so to the east
rises an odd-looking hill called "The Mount
of the Holy Cross" Las Vigiles is neither
beautiful to the eye nor pleasing to the olfac-
tories, since the pigs. cattle, burros, chickens
and children are gathered, neutrality-suspicious.
ly, under one roof. In this respect, however,
it differs very little from the other Mexican
towns, for squalor regns supreme wherever
the Mexicans are in the majority Las Vigles
in English 1.-THE Vigils"-dorives its name
from the peculiar religious practices of the in
habitants, who are termed "penitents."
Passion week is the best time for the sight
seer to visit Las Nigiles; tho religious frenzy
is then at its height. The "oopeta' or church,
is queer-looking adobe structure, surrounded
by rough wooden crosses and unkempt mounds,
marking the last resting place of scores of the
penitents. There is n door in one end of the
building, fastened with an immense paddock
and chain, while ventilation and light are
secured by means of long narrow Sits cut
through the adobe side walls. Here the
"penitents'' worship, and here they still carry
on the peculiar Passion week rites, from the
observance of which they have derived their
name,
VII VIC IculutN preCculllS Easter nuSe
wooden cross is erected on the top of the hill
known as the mount of the Holy Cross, and
the devout ones make n pilgrimage to it and
touch it with their lips. They then return to
the copeta and begin their devotions which
continue straight through the week For
hours they remain on their knees in prayer
and as nighttail approaches they strip to their
waists and begin their self-hagelation. Short
whips, made of woven cords, are used and it
takes but few blows TO lacerate the skin
and make the blood flow freely. Men
and women, young and old,
scourge themselves numerically and
it is not long before the scene becomes posi-
during the entire week with those who have
the physical strength to stand tho terrific
strain, for fasting is also obligatory, and the
truest penitents are those who can, for tho
longest period, abstain totally from food and
drink and who can at the same time scourge
themselves until their backs are one quiverng
mass of bruised, lacerated, bleeding flesh
How long this religious custom has been
observed, it is impossibls to ascertain. Tradi-
ton has it that the custom descended from the
AZtecs, who offered human sacrifices in the
earlyspring topropitiate the gods of the harvests
and rains. 1t is hardly probable that the Mex
leans should have adopted an Aztec custom,
week for their ceremonies. 1t is more likely
that the custom originated amongst the devout
Spaniardswho first settled this region and that
their descendants copied the idea, adding such
barbaric improvements" as suggested them
selves to their fertile minds. The scourgng,
it is said, is not so severe nowadays as it was
a few years ago. when an occasional victim
would die from the self-imposed torture
Aside from its religious peculiarties, Las
Vigies is q typical Mexican village. There is
but one store in the town, a queer little tumble
down place, bearing the unique sign: