The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-17


 ty-fiye miles of mesas and the canon of
 the Rio Grande, this little hamlet of
 Mexicans, with scarcely dozen Amer
 jeans among them. is noc of the nine
 teenth century and feels few of its in- l fluences. Taos and it's neighborhood
 are said to have about one thousand
 penitentes, including many Women and | here their practices are carried to the
 extreme. Among the residents is a
 Methodist missionary who was an ad-
 ministrator of the estate of Pablo or l tega, a penitente who died near Anton- 1 ito Col. Among the dead mans effects
 were found books explaining the rites
 of the order, and the missionary has
 since made a careful study of this cu- rious fanaticism,
 The name of the order is ''Los Her
 manos Penitentes" Ghe Penitent Broth ers). They are popularly known by the single word penitentes. The order was established in Spain three or four hun
 dred years ago, and it is said that orig finally its members did not practice scourging or crucifying. The custom of self-whipping seems to have been bor- rowed from the F'lagellantes, and the ignorant fanatics of the New World have elaborated the system of penance
 until men are actually nailed to the
 cross The penitentes for long time used the churches for their meetings.
 Of late years the bishops have forbid
 den this, and now the brothers have
 their "morada" outside the town.
 During most of the year the peni-
 tentes are so quiet that their silent
 Io
 tered about them, are the only evidence of their existence. With the beginning of Lent, however, they renew their ac- tivity with ceremonies and processions, which reach their climax during Holy Week. In the exercises liable to be seen by spectators the brothers doing penance try to conceal their identity by black cloths thrown over the head and tied about the neck. Of late years the younger generation has developed many unbelieverS, whose scoffing seems to hurt the penitentes more than their self-imposed tortures. The brothers may also have some fear of the dis pleasure of the church, and it is quite probable they wish the mystify the peo- pie, but it is generally, known among their friends who the penitentes are.
 During the early part of Lent the performances of the penitentes are comparatively mild, but in Holy Week the extreme observances of the order occur. On a hillock at some distance from the brotherhood house is painted a cross to represent Calvary. Day af- ter day processions march from the lodge to the cross and back, it's mem bers doing penance in a variety of hide ous ways, as the fancy of the indivld- ual may suggest In many places that have been invaded by railroads and Americans these ceremonies are per formed at night. One of the common est scenes is the march of the flagel- l lants At the head strides the "pitero," blowing a rude flute with a shrill, un- | earthly vail. A companion bears a | crucifix, and then follow the brothers | doing penance. Naked, except for their | drawers and the cloth over their heads, | their bare feet are cut by sharp stones and lacerated by clinging cacti, while | the self-applied disciples leave ridges | and gashes in their backs, from which | drops of blood trickle down. Perhaps they are accompanied by other officers | than the two leaders, and the officials | llldy UG hHQWIF ny llit DdnIS UT llIttlS | tied about the forehead. The march is | to a cross, where the penitents kneel, | go through secret mummery, lash | themselves a prescribed number of | times, and then take up the backward | march to the "morada."
 The crowning event occurs on Holy | Friday, when the anniversary of Christ's death is celebrated with a dra- ma of the crucifixion. The event opens with a procession from the "morada" to the hillock representing Calvary | There are cross-bearers, flagellants and numerous women and children, all led by the fifer, while the reader of pray CTS is somewhere in their midst The halts at short intervals to make the stations of the cross," and the women and children kneel while -hey repeat a short prayer. At Calvary the cross-beaEers stretch at full length while the heavy beams are laid upon their backs, the "pitero" piping and the attendants singing. Then the process sion returns to the "morada," the brothers going inside for few minutes and the women waiting without. These pflgrimages are repeat I If this strange drama is reached.
 When the time for the crucifiXion has lrrived, the ''hermano mayor" (chief orother) and an assistant enter the 'morada" and return with the victim. Ie is entirely naked except for pair if cotton drawers and bag over his lead. He is led to the place of cruel ixion, perhaps a newly selected Calya- " and the procession follows. At Taos le is @ volunteer. Tn some places he is elected by lot. "El Calvario' as been prepared for the ceremony. A huge ross lies upon the earth, and at it's ,ase is an excavation. The victim walks firmly to the cross, and lies down pon it at full length, his back to the tandard and his arms outstretched | pon the cross-beam. Several Her lanos de Luz Brothers of Light, who ttend fagellants, but do not scourge take a stout hempen rope ] nd lash the arms and legs of the pros- rate penitente to the cross. They raw the bonds so tight that the :. trands fairly sink into the flesh, but ot sound is heard from the victim. 2 he is particularly fanatical, he may abel at this method of undergoing the rdeal and cry out: For the love of od, do not dishonor mel Not with