Quezon town seeks Guinness entry for the biggest number of flagellants

QUEZON, Philippines – General Luna town in Quezon province will try to convince the Guinness World Record team to open an entry for the biggest number of Good Friday flagellants on April 7.

While other provinces in the country have crucifixions as part of their commemoration of Jesus Christ’s death on Good Friday, General Luna’s highlight has always been a parade of flagellants, Mayor Matt Florido said on Wednesday, April 5.

Participants in this penitential rite scourge themselves using burillo – bamboo tipped whips embedded with razor blades. 

The penitents target their bare backs, arms, chest, and hands. 

Florido told Rappler the town record of 400 flagellants was hit in 2021 while the country was still struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Florido said that as far as he knows, General Luna has the highest number of participants, not only in the Southern Tagalog region, or even the whole of Luzon, but in the entire country and even the world. 

Florido said he expects to have double the number of flagellants this year.

Tradition

The flagellation is part of the town’s Holy Week tradition called Buhay na Kubol (living house, to denote the Church).

Kubol also refers to the locations in the town of the 14 stations of the Cross, where local folk dramatize the vignette.

There is an online contest for the best kubol.

On Tuesday, April 4, the town held the  Estokadahan ng Senturyon (a mock, stylized fight among men masquerading as Roman centurions).

On Friday, the mass penitence will be at 9 am at the Poblacion or town center.

First Senakulo

This year, the town will have its first Senakulo, or the dramatization of the Passion of Christ, on April 7, 7:30 pm, at the General Luna Central Elementary School.

Florido said the event was organized in collaboration with Mayor Marcelo Gayeta of Sariaya town, and the Tourism Council of Sariaya and its Tourism Dramatic Guild.

Local artists from both towns will perform under the direction of Federico Ceribo.

-Rappler.com