Filipinos pray, bathe and crucify themselves at Easter

By Darren Whiteside

MOUNT BANAHAW, Philippines (Reuters) - Hundreds of Filipinos, including members of sects and mystics holding candles, bathed in the rivers of Mount Banahaw on Wednesday in an annual pilgrimage to celebrate the start of Easter.

Although the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, with over 80 percent of its 87 million population estimated to be followers, tribal beliefs and local superstitions infuse Christianity in this Southeast Asian country.

In the northern Philippines, a handful of villages are gearing up for annual Good Friday crucifixions where volunteers are nailed to crosses and hoisted up for five excruciating minutes as an expression of their faith.

The gruesome ritual, which is frowned upon by the Catholic Church, has evolved into a major spectacle and local travel agents are now offering overnight packages for tourists with strong constitutions.

On Mt. Banahaw, 170 km (106 miles) southeast of Manila, pilgrims queued to stand under waterfalls believed to have healing powers. Others prayed in caves festooned with Catholic icons.

"It's a sacred mountain. Drinking the water makes you healthy," said Marison Chavez, 38.

Some believe people that Banahaw is the new Jerusalem and that Jesus set foot there. Others say it's the site of alien abductions. For most, the jungle-clad 2,188-metre mountain is a beautiful place to pray and camp out during the holidays.

CRUCIFIXION SPECTACLE