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Who were the Penitentes?

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Research on the Penitente, or Fraternidad Piadosa de los Hermanos de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Pious Fraternity of the Brothers of Our Father Jesus the Nazarene), reveals little documentation. The root of the Brotherhood is attributed to The Third Order of St. Francis, founded in 1219 under the name of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance. It remains in dispute exactly how the Brotherhood began, but there is a general consensus of opinion that it was a distinctly New Mexican phenomenon.

Penitential practices were once common throughout Europe and other colonies in the New World. The Penitente are considered true representatives of Spanish religious thought and culture. The high point of their worship was the re-creation of Christ’s Passion on the cross. This was accomplished through portrayal of the suffering of Christ, self-mortification of the flesh, emulating the crucifixion of Christ, and singing of alabados (sorrowful hymns).

Penitential activities were introduced to New Mexico with the arrival of Don Juan de Onate in 1598, at which time Don Juan de Onate was himself observed to have participated in self-flagellation during the observance of Holy Week. Gaspar Perez de Villagra in his epic poem Historia de la Nueva Mexico chronicled the Lenten observance. St. Peter Damian (1007-1072) is attributed with the introduction of the use of a whip with cords for self-flagellation, and the encouragement to others to adopt the practice.

Penitente Brotherhood was driven underground in 1817 after an ecclesiastical visit by Juan Bautista Laron del Nino de Guevara resulted in the discovery of a chapel used by the Third Order in Santa Fe which had human skulls on its altar. The chapel was subsequently destroyed. De Guevera stayed in New Mexico until 1820 to ensure that no other chapels of this type existed.

The metal girdle of spikes referenced in the story of The Hermit of La Cueva is said to have been an iron strap 3-4″ wide, with small, approximately ¾ – 1″ iron spikes attached to the inside. The spikes in fact did pierce the flesh of the individual wearing it, and it was considered to be another form of self-mortification.

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