The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-29

How mary Americans know that in
their own country is an order whose
members yearly represent Christ's Jour
new to his crucifxion by bearing crosses
of crushing weight along paths of cruel
stones and cactus to a mimic Calvary?
How many know that American voters,
men who help to choose the President of
the United States, are crucifcd, are
bound by biting thongs, arc nailed to
crosses and suffer unto dCdthi
The village of Taos, in Northern New
Mexico, for many years the home of Kit
Carson, is one of the strOnghOds of the
penitentos. Hidden away in little val
lev among the Rockies, shut off from the
railroad on the east by sevCnty-five miles
of mountains, and separated from the iron
highway on the west by thirty-fiVc miles
of mesas and the awful canyOnuf the Rio
Craude. this little hamlet of MeXiCans.
with scarcely a dozen Americans among
them. is not of the nineteenth century,
and feels few of its influences. Taos
and its ncighbOrhOOd are said to have
about / 900 Penitentcs, including many
women and here their practices are car
ried to the extreme. Among the residents
is Methodist missionary, who was an
administrator of the estate of Pablo Or
tega, Ponitcnte who died near AntonitO,
Col. Among the dead mans effects were
found books explaining the rites of the
order aud the missionary has since made
Q careful study of this curious fanaticism
The name of the order is Los Her
mauos Pcnitentesn (the PenitCnt Broth
ers). They are popularity known by the
single word PenitenteS. The order was
established in Spain 300 or 400 years ago,
and it is said that originally its members
Il i'll ro4spstian Gtp1lpgyi1Cr fF,ri,
The custom of self-whipping seems to
have been borrowed from the Flageu-
antes, and the fanatics of the new world
have elaborated the system of penance
until men are actually nailed to the cross.
The Penitcntes for a long time used the
churches for their meetings. OF late the
bishops have forbidden this and now the
brothers have their ''mOrada" outside the
town
During most Of the year the Pcnitentes
are so quiet that their silent moradas, "
with broken crosses scattered about them,
are the only evidences of their existence.
With the beginning of Lent they
renew their activity with cere-
monies and professions. which
reach their climax during Holy week.
In those exercises liable to be seen by
spectators the brothers doing penance try
TO conceal their identity by black cloths
tulOFF II OFGI INC IlCtlu anu tItu 0DOuG IilG
neck OF late years the younger genera
ton has developed many Unbelievers,
whose soothing seems to hurt the Peni-
tentcs more than their self-impOsed tor
lures. The brothers may also have some
fear Of the displcasures of the church,
and it is quite probable they wish to
mystify the people, but it is generally
known among their friends who the
PCnitentcs are.
8 L
fOrmances of the Penitentcs are COM
paratively mild, but in Holy Week all the
horrors of this peculiar order are put into
practice On hillOck at some distance
from the brotherhood house is planted
cross to represent Calvary The CROWN
ing event occurs on Holy Friday. when
the anniversary Of Christ's death is cele-
brated with drama of the crucifixion.
The event opens with a procession from
the ''morada" to the hillock representing
Calvary. There are cross bearers, aagel-
lants and numerous women and children,
all led by the fifer, while the reader Of
prayers is somewhere in their midst.
The procession halts at short intervals to
make the stations Of the cross" and the
women and children kneel while they re
peat short prayer. At Calvary the
crOss-bearcrs lie at full length, with the
heavy beams laid upon their backs, while
tllN l'LbN4O ItljOS anu tit tUJtuLiditLS
sing. Then the procession returns to the
'morada," the brothers going inside for
few minutes meditation and the women
waiting outside. These pilgrimages are
repeated until afternoon, when the climax
OF this strange drama is reached
When the time for the crucifxion has
arrived the 'hcrmanO mayor" (chief
brOthcrD and an assistant enter the
"morada" and return with the victim
"a - ~ ~ L. 4. =
cotton drawers and a bag over his head
He Is led to the place of crucifxion. per-
haps newly selected Calvary, and the
procession follows At Taos he is a vol
unteer. In some places he is selected by
lOt. "EI CalNariON has been prepared for
the ceremony. A huge cross lies upon
the earth, and at its base is an eXcava-
lion. The victim walks firmly to the
cross and lies down upon it at
luI length, his back 10 the standard
and his arms OutStretched upon the
cross beam. Several "Hermanos dc Luz
brothers Of Light, who attend faggel-
lahts but do not scOurge themselves
take stout hcmpen rope and lash the
arms and legs OF the PROSTATE PcnitentC
10 lhe cross. They draw the bonds so
tightly that the strands sink into the
1esh, but not whimporis heard
il ne IS particularly courageous and
lanatlcal he may rebel at this method of
undergoing the ordeal. He may cry out:
For the love Of God, do not dishonor me!
NoI with a rope. Nail me! For the love
Of God, nail mc,V
III former years il was a common prac-
ice 10 spike. these deiUdcd beings to the
cross. Deaths among the crucifiod were
no' uncommon then, and on Holy Friday
"llhq the past decade four PenitCntes
we we're Killed IN this manner at points not