The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-10

"morada' and return with the victim.
He is entirely naked, except for pair
of cotton drawers and bag over his
head. He is led to the 7 lace of cruel
fixion, perhaps a newly-selected Calvary,
and the procession follows. AT Taos he
is volunteer In some places he is Sc
lected by lot. "El Calvario" has been
prepared for the ceremony A huge cross
lies upon the earth, and at its base is an
excavation. The victim walks firmly to
the cross and lies down upon 1T at full
length, his back to the standard and his
arms outstretched upon the cross-beam.
Several "hermanos de luz" brothers OF
light, who attended f1agellants, but do
not scourge themselves) take stout
hempen rope and lash the arms and legs
of the PROSTATE Penitente to the cross
They draw the bonds so tightly that the
strands fairly sink into the flesh. but
not a whimper Is heard from the victim.
If he is particularly courageous and
fanatical he may rebel at this method or
undergoing the ordeal. He may cry out:
For the love of God, do not dishonor me!
Not with rope! Nail me! For the love
of God, nail mer'
In former years 1t was common prac-
tice to spike these deluded beings to the
cross. Deaths among the crucified were
not uncommon then, and on Holy FRIDAY
within the past decade four PenitenteS
were killed in this manner at points not
far from Taos. Public sentiment mas
slowly modified this custom. The chief
brother now determines whether or not
the subject shall be nailed, and in most
places it is no longer permitted. 1t is
probably within the bounds OF truth 10
say that mailing to the cross is now prac-
ticed only in a few Mexican hamlets SO
remote from railroads as TO be outside
the pale of modern influences. At Taos
several Mexicans are pointed out as
Penitentes who have been crucified with
spikes and survived, and the statement
has confederation in small scars on the
hands, which may be seen by an investl-
gator with sufficient patience to watch
for opportunities.
Ropes are wound about the top OF the
cross to serve later as guys, and several
brothers Of light slowly raise the ponder
Gus beam into an upright position. It's
base slips into the excavation, and as 1t
nears the perpendicular the whole mass
drops into the hole with shock that
must cause the crucified one excruciating
pain, but he gives forth no sound. The
cross is then steadied by the guy ropes,
and perhaps loose rocks are thrown into
the excavation. 1t is useless, perhaps,
for one who has not suffered them to at
tempt to describe the exquisite agonies
of the crucified man, and they may be
left to the Imagination of the reader.
Hardened as the Penitentes are to such
scenes, an intense hush falls upon the
group standing about with eyes lifted in
reverential awe to the central figure.
The afternoon sun beams on the scene
with southern fervency, the lonely hills
lend their solitude to the drama, and
there is seldom a bird or even a cricket
in this land of barren rock and frultleSS
sand to break the solemn silence.
The weight of the hanging man causes
the binding ropes to sink deep into the
arms and legs. The surrounding flesh
swells into great, CHASTITY puffs. The
blood stops circulating. The skin as
sumes a purple hue, then turns slowly
to a black. Some of the on-lookers kneel
and their lips move in silent prayer. Near
by penitent brother may be lying on
a bed of cactus or suffering some otner
torture without a sound. From the
brows of the officers, clasped in crowns
of cactus, drops of blood trickle down
and smear their faces. The moments
drag along with painful weariness They
seem to have heightened into hours-for
the sufferer into cons, probably-but in
reality it may be only twenty or thirty
minutes until the chief brother gives the
| sign to lower the cross.
The brothers of light quickly loose the
bonds Of the crucified one. and the pris-
| oned blood leaps through the thirsty
veins with riotous. painful JOY. The
| motionless form is picked up by two as
| sistants, each putting shoulder under
! one arm, and the march to the ''morada'
| is begun Perhaps the body gives evil
| dence of life and consciousness. The
| legs slowly move as though to walk, but
| the effort is too feeble for any practical
use. except to show that the spirit Of life
still animates the swollen, bruised,
blackened body. At the 'morada" the
crucified brother is rudely nursed into
! strength. Sometimes the body taken
| from the cross gives no sign of life and
| is. never seen in public after it is carried
| into the "morada-