Dazed by the intensity of the last few hours, I pondered the meaning of this gory spectacle. Contrary to popular belief, such painful acts of self-sacrifice are done not as a form of penitence but as a way of seeking oneness with Christ.

While other Catholics might focus more on Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, Filipinos see reason to commemorate his suffering and death, comparing it to the trials of their everyday lives. Indeed, when placed in such a context, no problem seems big enough. Betrayal, sacrifice, suffering and death are powerful undertones for any celebration. Far from being a merely bizarre spectacle, these rituals attest to the deep religiosity of the Filipino. Here in San Pedro Cutud, as in many other places in the Philippines, Scripture isn’t just read and remembered. It’s also witnessed – every year–in living, breathing colour.