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holy week in Pampanga: #MALELDO 2010

Holy week in the Philippines is the only time of the year when shopping malls are closed, when atm's are offline and when the transit system is out of operation from Maundy Thursday till Easter Sunday. If you don't have cable tv, you might end up agonizing over old films played over local channels.

 I usually spend this time with my family in Pangasinan but a 6-hour ride is just excruciating so Teresa and I ended up in Pampanga to meet our friend Ariel.

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Maleldo 2010.

sebastian

Ariel in Pampanga...



Since the meeting place was San Fernando, I dared him to take me to Barngay Cutud to witness Maleldo 2010.

“Maleldo,” a contracted Kapampangan word meaning “holy day,” has been used here to refer to the crucifixions that have become the focus of the international media every Good Friday. Here, local penitents carry the cross up a hill then have themselves nailed to it.

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Maleldo 2010, Cudud Pampanga

Cudud is a 15 minute ride from SM-San Fernando. It was already 2:30pm when we got there and there was already a very long line of cars parked on the both sides of the street stretching more than 3 kilometers to the site.  Along the way, you occasionally see hooded penitents beating their bloody backs with bamboo floggers.

calvary


and that's real blood....

It feels painful seeing it in person.My first time up close. We were advised to stay away or else blood could  could stain valued shirts. I noticed that there are so many tourists joining the long walk back and forth amidst the heat of the sun.

I had no idea what to expect. When we got there, this view really chilled me to my spine.

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feels like being in Calvary....

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...and those are real people nailed on the cross

We went up the hill to see things up close. Ariel got the chance to capture those moment while Teresa and I were just fixed there in awe............

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ready to be nailed......

anton 066
the passion of Christ?

On our way down, we saw one previously crucified  interviewed by the press.While other go straight to the ambulance and the hospital, he was up on his feet with a big smile on his face.

crucifixion
still active after the  the crucifixion

I didn't know how to feel. I heard that the Catholic church doesn't recognize the legitimacy of this festival. But Faith and Spirituality, like love is expressed in different ways.If this is these people's way of expressing their faith, I can't help but admire them for their resolve......

photo credit: Ariel a.k.a Sebastian

Comments

  1. I always want to witness that personally.... mukhang masakit kasi talaga (morbid?! jejejejjeje)... saya naman ng trip niyo this holy week!

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  2. awwtts.. cnt imgine how painful it was! tsk!.
    sana makkta dn aq ng real.nxt tym uuwi aq ng holi wik..

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  3. I am Xprosaic--- uo nga e. di rin ako makatingin ng deretso. hehe

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  4. kayedee ---san ka ba nauwi usually pag Holy week? sakit ngang tignan e.

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  5. This scene during holy week is really morbid. I don't think that this "sacrifice" would cleanse away their sins. This became more of a tourist attraction... Pinahihirapan lng nila ang kanilang sarili.

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  6. iba talaga pag kapampangan ang magcelebrate ng holy week...astiig! :D

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  7. Ghienoxs---napansin ko along the way, maraming nag-iinuman sa mga bahay-bahay---so parang naging pyesta na sa kanila .hehe

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  8. vonfire-- grabe nga--all over the place yang mga paghampas-hampas nila sa likod. di lang sa Cutud. ganun pala sila ka devoted.

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  9. woah...grabe naman!!! ang sakit! actually i really dont quite agree with this practice....kasi Jesus died nanga for our sins =P no need to punish ourselves for forgiveness hehe

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  10. ammm... wla dito lng din.. hnd p kc aq lumalabas ng ibng city pra mkapg holi wik e pra mkanuod b ng mga gnyn.. pero nxt tym prmise lalabas n aq ng lungga q! hehhhe..

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  11. weeh ang sakit nun..msakit din sa mata..parang nkakaaawa..

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  12. Sendzki--makes sense. kaya nga ayw din ng Catholic church to. that makes me wonder now kung saan nagsimula tong practice na to at kelan.

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  13. kayedee--- marami pala to---sa Mindoro meron din at sa Paete.....san ka pinakamalapit?

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  14. rico de buco--uo. lalo sa personal. torture pati sa mga nanunuod. hehe

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  15. gusto ko din mawitness ng live yan! nice shot nga pala sa mga photos. cool. :)

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  16. goyo---thanks to nikon d3000. hehe

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  17. Gustong gusto ko din mapuntahan ng personal yang Cutud sa Pampanga... taon-taon ko syang nakikita sa news. Sikat yan sa mga nagpapapako sa krus saka sa mga nagpepenitensya.

    Nice shots btw ^^

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  18. ang ganda ng cam. mo haha.

    grabe tong mga taong to. ang tibay. gusto ko din mawitness yan. sana. sana nxt yr. :)

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  19. fiel-kun----lately ko lang napansin news and buti nalang na-experience namin. wala sa plano.....hehe

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  20. KESO---di sakin yan. sa friend ko yan---bibili palang ako soon.hehe

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  21. grabe experience nyo ha! tinitingnan ko plng parang di ko na kaya eh. Pero best thing was that u experienced Holy week and the traditional ritual... Nice one Pusa! ;)

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  22. f this is these people's way of expressing their faith, I can't help but admire them for their resolve......>>> true. i recognize their penitence. great shots! looks like you're using a good camera and really good framing.

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  23. wow wish i was there with you... such a nice holy week!! anyway happy easter =p

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  24. the donG ---rwa yan--hehe. sa friend ko---dipa ko nakakabili. coming soon.hehe

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  25. mishi--uo. nakakpangilabot nga lang. hehe

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  26. fufu---do you also celebrate it in any strange ways in malaysia fufu?

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  27. he is the newbie "christ". nainterview yan sa tv patrol eh.

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  28. ahw talaga? nagtataka na rin ako kung san nagmula tong practice na to haha

    parang iba ibang ginagawa ng mga tao tuwing holy week ah haha

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  29. Oh no I can't watch that, too painful...

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  30. Chyng ---what is a newbie christ? hehe

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  31. I've never been to Pampanga for holy week. I've never really seen sinakulo 'live'. I'm not sure I can watch. Looks painful!

    PS - Thank you for the visit! :)

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  32. Sendzki---kaya nga e. samin sa Pangasinan wala namang ganito ka-extreme.

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  33. Kat ---you can always look away if its too much to see....hehe

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  34. pampanga, tradisyon at pasyalan narin yan ng mga gustong makakita ng paggunita sa holyweek.

    galing!

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  35. Everlito (ever) Villacruz---uo. at napansin ko na ang daming foreigners at megazooms na camera.hehe

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  36. im from pampanga and bata palang ako eh nakita ko na yang mga yan. medyo masakit lang sa mata pag pinapalo nila sarili nila sa likod.

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  37. bilib ako sa tapang ng mga nagpapapako..masakit kasi iyon eh..kagatin ka nga lang ng langgam masakit na,hehe..

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  38. princess_dyanie---san ka sa Pampanga? at nalaman ko na di lang sa Cutud---pero all over Pampanga maraming gumagawa....

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  39. Arvin U. de la Peña--- uo--iniisip ko tuloy---umiinum kaya sila alak bago magpapako--alam mo na para medyo lasing...lol

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  40. ganda ng shots lalo yung pako at paa

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  41. Random Student--kaibigan ko kumuha nya. diko kinayang lumapit. hehe

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  42. I can't still quite grasp why people put themselves in such physical pain as a form of penitence even though even the Catholic Church doesn't approve of it..oh well..i guess tradition is just really hard to change...

    ---
    LXD's pretty amazing eh? :) I'm glad you appreciated it. I felt the same way when I first watched the trailer. Amazing moves, great cinematography, and score. I can't wait for the premiere! Woohoo!

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  43. LUCAS---I agree. pero andun parin---admirable parin. I can''t do that,hehe. yeah, about LXD---you got me really excited today mate....

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  44. very nice documentary. i was very young (elementary days pa) when i went there and has never returned since. maybe someday.

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  45. sir pk! u ok???? I feel awkward just by looking at those fotos... well, u saw them up close and personal... must be more painful....

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  46. wow. nice. too bad wala ako sa probinsya namin nung holy week. namiss ko tuloy ang event na yan.

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  47. O_O Omaygad ang sakit sakit siguro nun... kahit pinagbabawalan na sila ng church ginagawa pa din nila noh?! ayun bumisita ulet ako... kamusta naman po kayo?! Bisitahin nyo naman ako parang awa nyo na LOL :) http://www.kumagcow.com

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  48. jaypee | enjayneer.com ---ay--uo nga no, taga Pampanga ka pala. pero san ka based? I mean---where do you work?

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  49. KRIS JASPER--ay--KRIS--nice to see you around. uo, tama, mas masakit sa personal. ayoko tumingin. hehe. malayuan lang ako. usyosero lang.lol

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  50. KUMAGCOW--uo nga e. di sila mapigilan. magpasaway sana. hehe.

    wait...anung DPP?

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  51. DPP by the way is Digital Photographer Philippines. It is the most popular forum for photographers. Madaming users dun pareho ng model ng cam mo, join ka dun madami ka matututunan. =)

    http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/forum/index.php

    Thanks!

    KUMAGCOW
    http://www.kumagcow.com

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  52. KUMAGCOW---ay Digital Photographer Philippines pala--saka na--a-ctually, diko camera yan, sa friend ko yan. bibili palang ako this May.

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  53. kalokohan! i can't help but shake my head...sorry ha. yan sila masaya eh, sana after nun may magbago nga sa kanila. shudders at the thought (nails and what-not!)

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  54. Marissa---ahaha--kaw talaga. try to be more positive. hehe

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  55. I also heard about those penitents at Cutud, Angeles pampanga. And yes, the catholic church does not allowed those people to be nailed on the cross. But it's their choice. So we can't do anything about it. Maybe, all we can do is let them. hope after that thing, they will be safe.

    Jules
    Soloden.Com
    The Brown Mestizo

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  56. di pa ko nakakakita tulad niyan for real....at ayaw ko makakita haha

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  57. Jules---tama, and we might as well take advantage of it.....like this year---subrang dami ng tao--both locals and tourists. mukha namang the organizers did a good job....

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  58. Sendzki---ahaha--matatakutin ka rin pala.

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  59. Hi,

    My name is Louie. I have a blog in SEO, Earning Money Online and Blog Tips niche. It's www.dreamhousewebsolutions.com
    Currently, me and my girlfriend developed an online community for all Kapampangans. The site is www.pampangadirectory.net.
    In this site you can, connect to your friends, upload pic and sounds, upload and download you files, create a blog, join forums, manage buy and sell, chat, and many more.

    I hope I will see you there. Members are growing in number so don't be let behind.

    Regards,
    Louie Sison

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