Good Friday in Atotonilco
04/08/07 08:25 AM Filed in: Mexico
My sister Suzie, visiting from Capitola, CA, and I went to Atotonilco on Good Friday, unaware that, and unprepared for, a major reenactment of the events of that day two thousand years ago. We joined a huge crowd, thousands of spectators, and spent several hours in the hot sun photographing the event until thirst and hunger forced us to give up somewhere around the Fifth Station of the Cross. I apologize for not being able to hang in there through the Crucifixion, but the experience and images we did capture were moving (and disturbing).
[WARNING: Some images show torture and injuries.]
The crowd gathered around Pilate's court. Little children almost vibrated with anticipation and excitement.
Pontius Pilate and a Pharisee met on a high platform before the multitudes to conduct the trial.
He and the Pharisee wore clunky hands-free microphones so that the crowd could follow what they were saying.
Jesus, convicted and tied to a post, was scourged by Roman soldiers.
At this point, I realized I was watching something remarkable. These soldiers were not pretending to beat Christ; they were delivering a real beating.
As the scourging began, scores of terrified children began to wail. This somewhat older girl reacts to the cruelty.
A roman soldier taunts Jesus. He roars to the crowd, "Aquí está su rey. ¡Jajajajaja!" (Here is your king. Hahahahaha!)
He really liked saying that line. He must have repeated it forty times.
Scourging over, crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head (real thorns) Barabbas is presented to the crowd. Who to spare? Barabbas or Jesus? The citizens of Jerusalem decide.
Barabbas celebrates his freedom: "¡Libertad, libertad!"
The Roman soldier to Barabbas' left is winding up to deliver a blow with his lash.
How could such sweet little girls have condemned a man to torture and death?
A soldier reads Jesus' sentence to the crowd.
The crowd prepares to accompany Christ down the Vía Dolorosa. Custodians wearing their own crowns of thorns clear the way.
Hanging from this custodian's belt is a rope scourge. Many people carried whips like his, as it is a custom in Atotonilco to mortify the flesh. They are readily available in roadside booths. You can get yours in designer colors: day-glo purple with glitter. I kid you not.
He is also carrying a baggie of water, as were all the other custodians. ¿Porque? Two possibilities: for rehydration during their long trek, or, to keep flies away. You figure it out.
Jesus drags the heavy cross down the Vía Dolorosa, from time to time receiving lashes from the soldiers.
Not visible in the photo, Jesus' lips are caked with dried saliva. This man is truly suffering.
You can see welts on the back of one of the condemned thieves accompanying Christ to Golgotha.
He, too, is suffering real pain. A man playing a soldier holds a lime to the thief's mouth to help cut his thirst. He couldn't offer him a drink; it would break the verisimilitude.
Suzie and I sped up, leaving the procession behind. We were thirsty and hungry. My energy was gone. My arms ached from holding the heavy Nikon and its long lens over my head. On our way, we came upon Judas, waiting for the crowd to arrive before hanging himself. Apparently the people of Atotonilco follow the account in Matthew, not the version in Acts where he died after falling.
Here, Judas is enjoying a cigarette and a joke with his buddies before the action starts.
At the left of the photo stands a man with a roll of toilet paper hanging from his belt. Now there's a custodian who understands all of the crowd's needs.
People wait at Golgotha. The procession will reach them in an hour or so. I wish we could have stayed for the climax.
Ever practical as Mexicans can be, refreshment vendors surrounded the crucifixion site.
A cup of pineapple and watermelon chunks, sprinkled with lime and chile, really hits the spot when you're attending a crucifixion. I imagine it was much the same in biblical times.
A toddler tries to make sense of it all.
I would not choose to subject my babies to portrayals of cruelty, much less actual inflicting of pain. But I grew up in a different culture, and it's not my place to judge this one. To wonder at it maybe, but not to judge.
[WARNING: Some images show torture and injuries.]
The crowd gathered around Pilate's court. Little children almost vibrated with anticipation and excitement.
Pontius Pilate and a Pharisee met on a high platform before the multitudes to conduct the trial.
He and the Pharisee wore clunky hands-free microphones so that the crowd could follow what they were saying.
Jesus, convicted and tied to a post, was scourged by Roman soldiers.
At this point, I realized I was watching something remarkable. These soldiers were not pretending to beat Christ; they were delivering a real beating.
As the scourging began, scores of terrified children began to wail. This somewhat older girl reacts to the cruelty.
A roman soldier taunts Jesus. He roars to the crowd, "Aquí está su rey. ¡Jajajajaja!" (Here is your king. Hahahahaha!)
He really liked saying that line. He must have repeated it forty times.
Scourging over, crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head (real thorns) Barabbas is presented to the crowd. Who to spare? Barabbas or Jesus? The citizens of Jerusalem decide.
Barabbas celebrates his freedom: "¡Libertad, libertad!"
The Roman soldier to Barabbas' left is winding up to deliver a blow with his lash.
How could such sweet little girls have condemned a man to torture and death?
A soldier reads Jesus' sentence to the crowd.
The crowd prepares to accompany Christ down the Vía Dolorosa. Custodians wearing their own crowns of thorns clear the way.
Hanging from this custodian's belt is a rope scourge. Many people carried whips like his, as it is a custom in Atotonilco to mortify the flesh. They are readily available in roadside booths. You can get yours in designer colors: day-glo purple with glitter. I kid you not.
He is also carrying a baggie of water, as were all the other custodians. ¿Porque? Two possibilities: for rehydration during their long trek, or, to keep flies away. You figure it out.
Jesus drags the heavy cross down the Vía Dolorosa, from time to time receiving lashes from the soldiers.
Not visible in the photo, Jesus' lips are caked with dried saliva. This man is truly suffering.
You can see welts on the back of one of the condemned thieves accompanying Christ to Golgotha.
He, too, is suffering real pain. A man playing a soldier holds a lime to the thief's mouth to help cut his thirst. He couldn't offer him a drink; it would break the verisimilitude.
Suzie and I sped up, leaving the procession behind. We were thirsty and hungry. My energy was gone. My arms ached from holding the heavy Nikon and its long lens over my head. On our way, we came upon Judas, waiting for the crowd to arrive before hanging himself. Apparently the people of Atotonilco follow the account in Matthew, not the version in Acts where he died after falling.
Here, Judas is enjoying a cigarette and a joke with his buddies before the action starts.
At the left of the photo stands a man with a roll of toilet paper hanging from his belt. Now there's a custodian who understands all of the crowd's needs.
People wait at Golgotha. The procession will reach them in an hour or so. I wish we could have stayed for the climax.
Ever practical as Mexicans can be, refreshment vendors surrounded the crucifixion site.
A cup of pineapple and watermelon chunks, sprinkled with lime and chile, really hits the spot when you're attending a crucifixion. I imagine it was much the same in biblical times.
A toddler tries to make sense of it all.
I would not choose to subject my babies to portrayals of cruelty, much less actual inflicting of pain. But I grew up in a different culture, and it's not my place to judge this one. To wonder at it maybe, but not to judge.
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