Filipino Villager Nailed to Cross for 35th Time on Good Friday for World Peace

Ruben Enaje, a Filipino villager, has been nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering, praying for peace in Ukraine, Gaza, and the South China Sea. The annual religious spectacle draws tourists in rural communities in Pampanga province, and Enaje, a 63-year-old carpenter, has become a village celebrity for his role as the “Christ” in the Lenten reenactment. Despite considering ending the ritual due to his age, Enaje continues at the request of villagers to pray for peace and relief from wars, conflicts, and natural disasters, while church leaders in the Philippines have frowned upon the tradition.