Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06
Wierd Rites of Religious
Cult Recalled by Mystery

ALBUQUERQUE, N. NJ. Mar. 6.
tU'R)-When Carl Taylor, magazine
writer was slain recently by Nodes
TO Trujillo, spanish American
houseboy. suspected of being a men,
Der OF the Penitentes, he was pre-
vented from obtaining first-hand
information about the Lenten and
Holy week rites of this strange cult.
Other authors, at the risk of their
lives, have obtained long distance
views of the strange ceremonies. in
which self-flagellation predominates.
Membership Of the PenitenteS is
limited to members of the Catholic
church and mainly are Spanish Am
ericans, although it is reported a
few white Americans have obtained
memberships for political reasons.
Each penitente community is auto
nomous and under the direction of
hermanoS mayor Cchief brother)
whose authority is absolute.
Number Not Known
1t is not known how many men,
bers there are in the organization
as the membership rolls are kept
secret and only members know their
fellows. Several years ago, it was es-
timated that the membership ran in
to the thousands.
The rules of the order were put
into written form about 300 years
ago, but no outsider ever has been
permitted to see them. Punishment
for betrayal of the secrets of the
order is death by burial alive at
night. Minor infringements of the
rule are punished by temporary bur-
ial of the culprits.
Lent is the sole season of Penitent
activity. The rest of the year their
religion is allowed to lapse and the
brethren placidly follow their var
iouS vocationS as laborerS. COWBOYS
or shepherds.
Achieve Piety
With the beginning of the sacred
40 days, however, they enter upon
the convenient task of achieving
their piety for the year. Every Fri
day night in Lent the belated way
farer among the interior ranges is
liable to be startled by hideous
whistle which walls over and over
one refrain.
The curious and brave who dare
to examine the origin of this weird
refrain, for if he is discovered he
may be lashed by whip or knife, will
come upon weird procession.
A fifer will head the procession.
followed by two other natives bear
ing lanterns before the feet of an
astounding figure which follows
them; a head loosely but securely
wrapped in black bag like hang
mans cap; a body naked to tie
waist, and clothed below with not
more than a pair of flappjug draw
erS, now wet with BLOOD bare feet
purple with the savage cold of a
New Mexican March, ye5 not too
frozen to bleed from contact with
frozen rocks; and arms that swing
mechanically up and back at each
step, and bring a plated whip down
upon the lacerated back with
heavy sWash
Carrying Cross
A few more rods to the raar comes
another man, in the same fantastic
undresS, but without the whip. He
staggerS under an enormous cross. |
its rear end crunching Gil the rocks
and snow 20 feet behind, its weight |
five times that Of its bearer.
And slowly, painfully, with bleed
ing backs and feet and freezing |
bodies, the self-made martyrs with |
their solemn attendants file past the
trembling watcher and disappear
among the pines, all to the constant
monotonouS piping of the fife or
flute. 1t is the beginning Of the
PenitenteS' "crucifiXion" ceremony.
in which chosen brother is bound
to the cross, to stay there in night
long suffering.