Controversy as Filipinos Crucified Despite Church Opposition.

Despite objections from the Catholic church, eight Filipinos were nailed to crosses in the farming village of San Pedro Cutud in Pampanga province to reenact Jesus Christ's suffering as part of a gory Good Friday tradition that draws thousands of devotees and tourists to the Philippines. The real-life crucifixions resumed after a three-year pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tradition reflects the Philippines' unique brand of Catholicism, which merges church traditions with folk superstitions. Many of the mostly impoverished penitents undergo the ritual to atone for sins, pray for the sick or for a better life, and give thanks for miracles.