Year: 1876

CRUCIFIXION IN COLORADO.


Horrible Religious Rites Of tho Penitentes.


N Told by Correspondent.


The Denver Tribune gives a graphic
account of horrible religious rites of
the Penitentes performed in Colorado
during Passion Week. The account
says Perhaps some Of your readers are
not aware of the true meaning of the
word Penitente." A Penitente is one
who is supposed to have committed
some crime against society or the church,
for which, although he may have escaped
civil law, he is yet amenablecto the
church, and must undergo q self-im-
posed punishment. A Psnitente never
does penance in q community where he
is known. One who belongs here, for
instance, dons q black mask and sud-
denly appears among strangers i4 Come
jas, Iona, or some other Mexican town,
while Penitentes from either of those
points make their appearance at Car
neros. Not one of the eighteen at Gar.
neros belonged there, and no one had
seen their faces or had the slightest idea
from whence they came. These masks
are simply black sacks drawn completely
over the head and tied at the neck.
One or two wore red masks. Whether
or not it was symbol Of different de-
gree of crime, we failed to ascertain.


Each Penitente wore simply pair OF
the very thinnest kind of knit drawers.
This, with the mask, was their only at
tire. They were formed in groups OF
four or five Penitentes, and six or seven
attendants. The leader OF each band
walked before, carrying something simi-
lar to watchman's rattle. Another at
tendant followed, playing a small reed
flute, while the other attendants chanted
in low, monotonous voice some words
in Spanish. All-both Pe1itentes and
their attendants-carried an."azote," or
scourge. These were the dried leaves
of the soap common ip this coun-
try-frmly braided and twisted together
into a sort of club, in the widest part
about four inches, and three feet long.
What we took at first to be red shawls
was simply blood. They were actually
dripping and drenching IN blood from
head to foot. They had taken sharp
Aints and dug them into their flesh all
over the body until the blood fairly
spurted from their bodies. They
marched slowly to the chant, always
kept up. and at every step gave them
fearful blows with these "azotes." We
could hear these blows an eighth OF 8
mile. Every two or three, minutes one
would fall to the ground hfeless from
loss of blood.


The moment he fell an attendant
would pick up his scourge and beat him
with all his might on his bare body. He
would again stagger to his taetand again
apply the scourge aslong as his strength
lasted; and when he fell again the same
operation was repeated as before. o.
casionally they would roll their scourges,
wet with blood, in the sand and fine
gravel, and lash themselves with renew
ed vigor. When one got very weak
from loss of blood the attendants held
him up and kept up the march in the
procession, while another beat him as
they walked along. One Penitente had
a long chain around each ankle, and the
attendants, to vary the monotony, would
drag him over the cactus plants and
sharp stones by these chains. Occasion
ally they would jerk him almost clear
from the ground, and always keep up
their music. Another had his arms,
from the wrist to above the elbow,
bound round and round closely with
rawhide thongs, in such manner as to
completely stop the circulation, and
from the ankle to above the knee in the
same fix. Tho line of march was gener
ally from the lower cross 10 log cabin,
where q relay of Penitentes awaited the
return of each party.


Before we reached the Carneros two
had died from the effectsof the scourg-
ing, and from q gentleman who left
there we hear that three more are not
likely to recover. We were told while
there, by one or two outsiders, that one
was nailed to cross up che gulch, and
out of sight from where we were, but we
were not permitted to go up to see him.
He was dead. Nails had been driven
through his hands and feet, and he was
actually crucifed. Last year, upon this
same spot, q man was crucifed also.
He lived twelve hours, and was not
taken down and buried for swo or three
days, for fear he might not be quite
dead. Now this is not romance, as every
word can be substantiated. Mayor Bar
ker witnessed these performances with
myself, Mr.. Helphenstine and his wife,
and Mrs. Royal. We were the only
Americans upon the ground that day.
These things took place within q mile
of o well-traveled road, and in sight OF
two or three ranches. Not one ranch
man dare interfere or object in the least
to this business, as his stock and houses
and barns are at their mercy.