Los Penitentes During Ritual Practice

A Look at the Events in Holy Week

Mar 13, 2009

Largely unknown, Penitentes are small sects of extremely devout Catholics found historically in the American Southwest. They focus their main rituals during Holy Week.

The Penitentes (Penitents) spent most of their time in ceremony during Holy Week. These ceremonies deal strictly with the Passion of Jesus Christ.

During this time there would have been an increase in the rites of self-flagellation, cross bearing, and other forms of mortification. Holy Week is called La Semana Santa, and during this time a set number of brothers choose to spend most of their time together in the chapter house or moradas (holy house).

There is a certain flow of rituals during that week where each ritual is steeped with historic meaning, and not doing one would lead to an nontraditional Penitente Semana Santa (Penitent Holy Week).

Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday For the Penitentes

The first day is Holy Tuesday, where the brothers in the moradas dress in what is called calzones, which are white pants worn for penance. They exit the moradas and greet the Sangrador, or punisher. He lashes the men in the calzones, as these men are the ones who are publicly doing penance. They ask forgiveness from all present at the lashings.

The night ends with music, prayers and tending to the wounded. Holy Wednesday is reserved for the community held procession called "The Procession of Sorrows," where the Hermanos (Brothers, Penitentes) walk from their moradas to a hilltop that they sanctioned as Calvary.

The Stations of the Cross are mapped out on the path, and as the Hermanos act them out, the villagers follow behind reciting the prayers connected to the Stations of the Cross.

Holy Thursday and Good Friday

On Holy Thursday, the Hermano chosen to play Christ appears, where the ‘arrest’ is made, and his subsequent trial is held. The holy role of Christ is bestowed upon the Hermano by miracle, drawn lot, officers vote, or the whole organization’s vote.

On Good Friday, a procession is made for the meeting between Mary and Jesus. At the proper time, the ‘Procession of the Blood of Christ’ is carried out. This is when the Crucifixion is carried out, with the chosen Christ, or with a wooden one.

There is much speculation to this ceremony, where a legend stated that there were nails used in the Crucifixion, but there are no eye witnesses to this. Most times, the Christ figure would be hung on the cross by ropes, and movement was made impossible, and the flow of blood to the limbs was nearly cut off. This moment is intensely emotional, and death is not common.

Other Penitentes would be standing around reenacting the weeping and praying bystanders. The chosen Christ would be acting out the death of Christ, enduring physical pain even as their Lord did, and he sings the song of Christ’s suffering with true understanding.

The Penitentes view of Holy Week rituals are the driving force of their religious belief system. Not only is it a week full of male acquainting, but also a week for the men in the religion to be closer to their God. Special clothes are made by the men and worn, colors are chosen for specific reasons, religious tools are cleaned and blessed, and the characters of the Passion Play are allotted and they retrace the last week of the life of Christ.

The week begins as a male dominated event, and ends with the public view of Good Friday. The community is present, but only in the background, where they express their sadness of Christ’s death from so many years before.

The copyright of the article Los Penitentes During Ritual Practice in Catholic Practices is owned by Maureen Zieber. Permission to republish Los Penitentes During Ritual Practice in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.