Rituals of Faith

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yd7laX7iB4]

AS THE NATION celebrates Easter Sunday, people are reminded of the timeless concepts of death and rebirth. One lonely voice made this point abundantly clear two thousand years ago – that only in failure do we find victory, only in death do we find renewal, and only in fear do we find courage.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism’s multimedia producer, Julius D. Mariveles, produced this video/slideshow of the Good Friday commemoration in Barangay Cutud, San Fernando, Pampanga, where thousands of the faithful renew their spirituality in a passionate but highly controversial tradition of blood and pain as a test of faith.