Picture of kids playing on crosses earns mixed reactions online

Days before the annual reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a YouScooper on Monday chanced upon children doing a playful version of the event with the three wooden crosses set up in San Pedro Cutud, Pampanga for Good Friday.

One of the six children was balancing on the footrest one of the crosses, extending his arms to imitate the pose on the Crucifix.

YouScooper Pia Faustino said there were no adults present at that time.

There have been mixed reactions to the photo, with some netizens calling the children adorable while others said they were being disrespectful.

Some of the commenters quoted a verse in the Bible (Matthew 19:14) in which Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these," and others said there is nothing wrong with the children playing with the crosses because they are still innocent.

“Kids..syempre nasa isip nila ang maglaro hahaha. Baka kung bata pa ako maglambitin din ako dyan,” one commenter said.

“Huwag bigyan ng masamang kahulugan ang paglalaro ng mga bata sa mga Krus na iyan sapagkat ang Krus ay tanda ng ating Kalayaan sa ating mga kasalanan. Hayaan natin ang mga bata dahil ito yung expression nila na malaya na sila sa mga kasalanan,” another said.

One commenter said seeing the children play with the cross breaks her heart.

“We no longer have a sense of sin. How can we catechise the young if even the adults are not evangelized? Anyone who truly values the cross will not play with/around it,” she said.

Another commenter said: “Iba na mga bata ngayon. Dapat may gabay na tama. Ipalagay na natin na di nila alam pero [dapat] ituro sa kanila kung saan pwede at tama ang paglalaro.”

This was not the first time children or even adult have been seen playing around with or posing at the crosses. Tourists flock to Pampanga during the Holy Week to see the annual reenactment of the crucifixion.

Three years ago, the picture of a woman wearing shorts and shades and posing like a model at one of the crosses and other tourists drew ire online. There were also tourists who took a "jump shot" in front of the crosses. — Amita Legaspi/BM, GMA News