‘Hesus ng Pampanga’ to get crucified the 36th time

He may now be a senior citizen but there is no stopping Ruben Enaje from fulfilling yet again a vow of faith he made over three decades ago.

Called the ‘Hesus ng Pampanga’ (Jesus of Pampanga), Enaje will be crucified for the 36th time on Good Friday, April 18, 2025, as he takes on the role of Jesus Christ during the reenactment of the crucifixion for the observance of the Holy Week.

As in previous years, he has prepared himself well and has readied the items needed for the role, including a crown of thorns, nails, and the cross he will carry for 1.8 kilometers to the site of the crucifixion.

Since there is no denying his age, Enaje said the cross he will carry this time is much lighter than the one he carried while he was younger. It weighs 28 kilos and is made of fiber glass.

Enaje, a resident of Barangay Cutud in San Fernando, is now 63.

“‘Yung kabataan natin, ‘yung pinapasan ko halos 37 kilos. Ngayon, may katandaan na rin tayo, senior na tayo… medyo binabaan ko na ‘yung bigat ng krus,” he said.

He said that as long as his body allows, he will continue to fulfill his vow if only to show the kind of sacrifice Jesus Christ offered his people.

“Lalo na ‘yung mga tradisyon natin na hindi maalis-alis… itutuloy at itutuloy pa rin natin kahit anong mangyari. Iba talaga ang pananampalataya… kahit ikamatay mo pa, kahit ikasugat ng katawan mo, itutuloy pa rin,” he said.

This time, however, his prayer is bigger: Peace for the country and safety from deadly disasters like the recent earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand.

“Wala sa akin, wala sa pamilya ko. Ang alay ko na lang, kung ano ‘yung darating na mangyayari sa ating bansa at sa ibang bansa,” he said.

People share different views on this Holy Week tradition in the Philippines. For its part, the Catholic Church said that while it “does nor discourage or encourage” the practice, it respects one’s choice of showing penance.

“That is part of our tradition na naging bahagi na ng buhay ng mga tao. Unless we enter into their own experience, we cannot judge what they are doing. The church does not discourage nor encourage it kasi nga meron tayong paraan ng penance na binibigay ng Santa Iglesia. But, again, people are free to express - to really live their lives in the passion of the Lord,” said Parochial Vicar, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Espiritu III.  —GMA Regional TV News