“We are 100% Catholic”: Philippine Passion Rituals and Some Obstacles in the Study of Non-European Christianity

Abstract

Philippine Catholicism is usually seen as a variant of a non-European Christianity, which was formerly introduced by Spanish missionaries and colonizers into the Philippine Archipelago. Philippine passion rituals, especially self-flagellation and rites of crucifixion, are commonly interpreted as bizarre phenomena of a pre-modern folk-religiosity or archaic survivals of ‘our’ past, or as a post-colonial mimicry of European religious history. The perspective on Philippine Christianity is always governed by European discourses, whether religious, scientific, or common sense. This paper is an attempt to question dichotomies such as ‘European’ and ‘non-European,’ ‘modern’ and ‘pre-modern,’ ‘authentic’ and ‘inauthentic,’ etc. In the study of religion such dichotomies, I argue, create problems of conceptualizing diversity within one religious tradition and behind such distinctions lurks the implicit self-perception of the West of being exemplary ‘modern.’ I use Philippine passion rituals as a hermeneutic challenge. Crucifixions are analyzed as media events and from the actor’s perspective, by historicizing the missionary encounter, and by scrutinizing concepts such as ‘syncretism’ and ‘identity.’ ‘Translation’ and the ‘histoire croisée’ approach are proposed as helpful analytical tools for the study of Christianity.

‘Hayan na ang mga Hampas-dugo! (the Penitents are coming!)’: Penitensya as religious-dark tourism

“…This inevitably shapes people's assumptions about Philippine religious practices which have 'always been governed by European discourses' (Bräunlein, 2012: 384). Indeed, Philippine Lenten practices such as selfflagellation and crucifixion, have been framed as 'bizarre phenomena of a pre-modern folk-religiosity or archaic survivals of "our" past, or as a post-colonial mimicry of European religious history' (Bräunlein, 2012). We acknowledge that the notion of 'commercialising' the event might not sit comfortably with indigenous scholarship.…”

“…Despite the protestations and disapproval of the church, and government officials, these rituals have persisted with obduracy through to the present day (Moratilla, 2018). The profiling of the festivities across mass and social media have meant that it has increasingly caught the attention of global audiences, leading to an increase in tourism (Bräunlein, 2009(Bräunlein, , 2012. Crucially, Moratilla (2018: 151) notes that '.…”

“…Moreover, marketing the event using local communities as resources presents an opportunity for the Filipinos to control the narrative regarding self-flagellation and crucifixions (including 'fake' ones), which have been constructed by the media as 'barbaric', 'pagan' and a 'mockery of Philippine culture and religious beliefs' (Bräunlein, 2012: 393). Additionally, Bräunlein (2012) notes that Philippine passion rituals are part of a global 'mediascape' whereby images of self-mortification are circulated around the world. This inevitably shapes people's assumptions about Philippine religious practices which have 'always been governed by European discourses' (Bräunlein, 2012: 384).…”