Controversial Easter Tradition: Filipinos Nailed to Crosses Despite Church Objection

Eight people were willingly nailed to crosses in the Philippines to commemorate Christ’s suffering as part of a controversial Good Friday tradition that’s been banned by the Catholic church. The bloody ritual transpired Friday in the rural village of San Pedro Cutud in Pampanga province, marking the first time it had been performed since the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020. Despite being praised for their bravery, the tradition has come under fire from the Catholic church, which urges practitioners to show their devotion in safer, less extreme ways such as giving blood.