EiFram   Angeles -- 2006-01-17

are you on drugs..? THe first comment is wrong.. that red fluid is blood comming out of their back.. they cut their back with 1/4 inch slice.. 40+ cut per side..

juanchO --nikko--   mabalacat pampanga phillipines -- 2006-04-13

are you nuts!?! don't you see the blood coming out of their wounds on their back??!!!??? please don't publish such false information in the philippines.. it is a custom here in the Philippines for the penitents to wound themselves at the back and whip it with bundles of sticks over and over again during the whole procession..
tnk you....

allan garcia   Seattle, margot, -- 2006-04-30

this comment is for the person who last commented. its not actually 40 cuts per side, its actually 25 cut in each sides.
AJ

Wil Dizon   Springfield, Virginia -- 2007-01-05

After reading your write ups on Catholic Penitents I strongly suggest for you to make two corrections as follows:
1st.
FLAGELLANTS - one that whips: a person who scourges himself as a public penance.
PENITENT - a direction of confessor expressing humble or regretful sorrow for sins or offenses after confession from the priest.
2nd.
The short paddle(a tool)with four rows of four half moon shaped of razor sharp broken glasses who are individually glued on the face of the paddle. Each time they hit with it it cuts the flagellants back sixteen (16) times. There is no set number of cuts they (person who cuts) have to inflict on individual flagellant. In reality 40 cuts is a very small number until a flagellant completes his visits to all the churches (altars) along the way to the calvary. FYI I originally come from San Fernando Pampanga Philippines and I am a flagellant for eleven year.