Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-04-02
GOOD FRIDAY.


Fanatic Scot of Flagellantes
in New Mexico.
From the New York World.
On Holy Friday the annual cruel.
fxion, the great event Of the holy sea-
son, the climax for which all the pre-
ceding mummery has been a prepara-
ton, takes place. With each year
public sentiment grows stronger
against the crucifixion, and the BROTH
ers have OF late been obliged to seek
the most secluded spots for the cere-
mony.
The person to be cruciied is, In
some places, selected by lot, but 10
Taos he is always q volunteer. It is
the wish Of every penitente who has
been chosen for the crucifixion to be
nailed to the beam. In former years
no other method was wen considered.
The chief brother, or "Hermano
Mayor decides this delicate question.
II the victim is not nailed he IL bound
so tightly that the pain must be fully
as intense as though his feet and
hands had been pierced with the
spikes.
A procession similar to that OF the
fiagellantes begins on Holy Friday,
passing from the ssmorada" to the
hill. All of the officers of the brother
hood, including cross bearers, flag
ellantes, piteros and attendants, are
present, together with women and
children. At short intervals the pro-
cesslon halts to mark the stations Of
the cross.
When the time for the crucifxion
arrives the "Hermano Mayor pro-
duces the volunteer, who is. entirely
naked, except for the cloth about the
loins and the head wrapping. He is
led to the spot, where a hole has been
dug in the earth to receive the base Of
the cross. The chief brother now de-
cides whether the cruciixion shall be
by mailing or by binding with thongs.
Usually, though not always, the latter
method is chosen.
TIED TO THE CROSS.
After the decision is announced, the
victim, or rather the volunteer, walks
firmly to the cross and stretches him.
self upon it, with his back against the
longer beam and his arms outstretched
along the cross pieces, in the position
which is so familiar to Christians the
world over. .Hermanos de Luz" or
Brothers of Light, lash the arms and
legs of the penitente to the cross,
drawing the thongs so tight that they
cut into the flesh and force the blood
through the skin. The volunteer
never protests, or makes a sign
of pain. On the contrary, it has
frequently happened that he has re-
belled at the decision to bind him to
the cross and has insisted that he be
nailed.
At a signal from the pitero the guy
ropes attached to the top Of the cross
are manned and the ponderous beam
is slowly raised upright. As it nears
the perpendicular it suddenly drops
into the hole, with a shock that causes
cruciied n to vince, despite his
courage.
Earth and loose rocks are thrown
into the hole to steady the beam. The
OF the suspended body causes
The ropes to sink into the arms and
legs. The flesh swells and the skin
turns red, then purple, then black.
Meanwhile the other penitents pray
and inflict upon themselves horrible
.tortures. The priests gather sharp,
cacti and weave them into
crowns, which they bind about their
heads, drawing blood in q dozen
The older and more fanatical
throw their naked bodies into beds of
and suffer torments worse than
a thousand bee stings. Others tear
their feet with jagged stones and bro
ken bits Of glass, and beat each other
On the back with whips and clubss
The suffering victim on the cross re-
mains there for nearly half an hour
without a moan or circumstances escap-
ing his lips. Finally he loses con-
,i~ousness, but even then he is not taken
Town. He must remain crucified until
'AO OdAOA OA0ghOA ktVCo WV oiko0A w
AXE down the cross.
Then, with the motionless form Of
he crucified one between them, the
Brothers of Light return in solemn pro-
session TO the morada, Ii on arrival
here the body. is found to contain life
t is nursed back to health and
trength. Frequently the crucifixion
'nds fatally. AT Taos, Hondo and
'ther places several Mexicans are
out as brothers who have been
rucified with spikes and have surviv-
d. This statement is corroborated by
cars in the hands and feet. The most
prominent man to suffer cruciixion
within the last ten years wal Patio
q resident Of Antonito, Colo,
wealthy sheep-raiser.