The crucifixion practice is widely known as the "Cutud Lenten Rites," named after San Pedro Cutud, the barangay where the tradition began in the 1950s, reportedly initiated by a local resident named Ricardo Navarro. It has since grown from a small village observance into the most prominent Good Friday crucifixion site in the Philippines, drawing local devotees, tourists, and international press each year, even as neighboring barangays now stage their own versions of the ritual.
Ruben Enaje, the site's most recognized penitent, was crucified for the 37th time, one of more than 15 men nailed to crosses across three sites that day. A carpenter by trade, Enaje has undergone the ritual annually for decades, initially as an act of thanksgiving after surviving a fall from a building, and has since become something of a local fixture — a figure locals credit with bringing them luck, while he claims this year was his last.
San Fernando, Philippines, 2026.04.10