Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-29

be known by the bands or flletS tleu
about the forehead. The march is to
a cross, where the penitents kneel, go
through secret mummery, lash them
selves with cat nine tails, made OF
raw beef hide or mesquite boughs,
prescribed number of times and then
take up the backward march to the
morada.
The GROWING events occurs on Holy
Friday. when the anniversary 81
Christ's death is celebrated with a
drama of the crucifixion. The event
opens with procession from the
morada to the hillock representing
Calvary There are cross bearers,
hagellants and numerous women and
children, all led by the fifer. While the
reader of prayers is somewhere in then
number. The procession halts at snort
intervals to make the stations OF the
cross and the women and @chlldren
kneel while they repeat short prayer
At Calvary the cross bearers lie at 1uli
length with the heavy beams lald
upon their backs, while the pitero pipes
and the attendants sing. Then the
procession returns to the morada, the
brothers going inside for few minutes
meditation. and the women waiting
outside. These pilgrimaGes are re-
peated until afternoon. when the climax
of this strange drama is reached.
Early on the afternoon of Good Fri
day. when the time for the cruciiiXion
has come, the bell at the mission
church rings and everyone in Taos
comes forth from the houses, no on"
speaking word. The women are
yelled and the children are warned ON
pain of punishment against so much as
speaking. The hermano mayor uncan-
ing chief brother) solemnly enters III"
low stone building known as the
morada. \ moment later they come
out with their victim-thc man who ~
to be the counterfeit Christ The man
is nude except for cheap oVcralls. He
is led to the place of CruciflNion, per
hapS newly selected Calvary, and the
procession follows. At Taos he is "A
volunteer. In some places he is selected
by lot lei Calvario' has been pre-
pared for the ceremony. \ huge cross
lies upon the earth, and at its base Is
an excavation. The victim walks firm
~ to the cross and lies down upon I
at full length his back to the standard
and his arms outStretched upon the
cross beam Several "Hcrmanos de-
Luz tBrothers of Light. who attend
hagelants but do not scourge them
selves take stout hempen rope ana
lash the arms and legs of the PROSTATE
Penitente to the cross. They draw the
bands SO tightly that the strands fairly
sink into the flesh, but not WhlmpvrI
is heard from the victim.
If he is particularly courageous and
fanatical he may rebel at this method
of undergoing the ordeal. He may cry
out: For the love of God do not dis
honor me, Not with a rope, Nail M,
For the love of God nail me-
In former years it was a common
practice to spike these deludnd beings
to the cross Deaths among the cruel
fled We're not uncommon then, and on
Holy Friday within the past decade
four Penitentes We're killed in this
manner at points not far from Taos
Public sentiment has slowly modified
this custom. The chief brother now
determines whether OF not the subject
shall be nailed. and in most places it IS
no longer permitted. II is probably
within the hounds of truth to say that
mailing to the cross is now practiced
only in a few Mexican hamlets so re-
mote from railroads as TO be outside
the pale of modern influences.
At Taos several MeXicans are pointed
out as penitentes who have been cruel
fled with spikes and survived. and the
statement has corrohoration in small
scars on the hands, which may be seen
by an investigator with sufficient pa
thence to watch for opportunities.
Long ropes are wound about the top
of the cross to serve later as guys. and
several Brothers of Light slowly raise
the ponderous beam into an upright
position. It's base slips into the eXca-
vaton.and as it nears the perpendicular
the whole mass drops into the hole with
shock that must cause the crucitied
forth no sound The cross is then
steadied by the guy-ropes. and perhaps
loose rocks are thrown into the exca-
walton.
1t is useless. perhaps. for one who has
not suffered them to attempt to de
scribe the exquisite agonies OF the
crucified man. and they may he left 10
the imagination of the reader. Hard
ened as the Penitpntcs are to such
scenes. an intense hush falls upon the
group standing about With eyes lifted
in reVerental 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 OF even Il cricket
in this land of barren rock and fruit
less 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 surround
ing flesh sWells into great CHASTITY pufls.
The blood stops circulating. The skin
assumes a purple hue, then turns slow
ly to a black. Some of the onlookerS
kneel and their lips move in silent
prayer. Near by a penitent brother
may be lying on Il bed of cactus or Suf-
ferinS some other torture without a
sound From the DroWS of the officers,
claSped in crowns of cactus. drops of
blood trickle down and smear their
faces. The moments drag along with
painful WEAKNESS. They seem to have
heightened into hours, but in reality it
may be only 20 or 30 minutes until the
hermano mayor gives the sign to lower