Hooded Palo penitents undaunted by online bashing

PALO, Leyte – A tourism official is urging netizens to stop bashing the Tais-dupol, an allmale group of penitents who have become an integral part of the Holy Week observance in this town.

“While I understand that the costumes worn by our penitentes are similar to the ones worn by the Klu Klux Klan, we hope that instead of bashing, they try to find out the beginnings of this age-old tradition,” Department of Tourism (DOT) Director for Eastern Visayas Karen Tiopes said in a statement.

The group got its name from the hoods the members wear, which are either pointed (tais) or blunt (dupol).

The costumes were mocked on online posts for resembling the attire of the Klu Klux Klan, an organization in the southern United States that espouses white supremacy and has through history targeted African Americans for persecution.

The Tais-dupol’s costumes, however, were inspired by those worn by Lenten penitents in Andalusia, Spain, that date back to the 15th century, according to an account written by the late Palo archbishop, Benjamin Bacierra.

Bacierra wrote that Palo already had a native settlement when the Spaniards arrived in 1521. Augustinian, Jesuit, and Franciscan missionaries eventually left a deep imprint on the town’s religious tradition.

“Among the town’s practices during Lent is the reenactment of Christ’s passion around Palo. The Penitentes take their root from the Penitentes or Nazareños – men and women wearing coneshaped hoods that cover their faces. As a form of sacrifice, they carry religious statues and icons in daily processions of the weeklong celebration of the Semana Santa of Andalusia, Spain which dates back to the 15th century,” Bacierra wrote.

The Penitentes was introduced and organized in 1894 by Fr. Pantaleon de la Fuente, a Franciscan friar who served as the parish priest of Palo from 1887 to 1898.

De la Fuente wanted to add drama to the commemoration of Lent. He ordered from Barcelona, Spain, several sculptured figures depicting the different stages of Christ’s passion.

Bacierra said De la Fuente also ordered robes with hoods in three colors that were worn by the individuals who became the nucleus of what is now known as the Palo Penitentes.

The group’s membership is exclusive to men.

A 55-year-old devotee said he has been a Penitente since 1972.

“We have an organization of devotees, which has a series of activities to renew our faith. We hold stations of the cross for seven Fridays before this week to prepare ourselves,” he said.

Penitentes walk around town barefoot for alms which they use to finance the reenactment, which attracts crowds to Palo during Holy Week.

Tiopes said the Tais-dupol, is undaunted by the bashing online.

“We are proud of our traditions. We will stand by our tradition,” Tiopes said.

“Given the attention and reactions it is generating, we trust that those who made comments will find time to read more about Tais-Dupol and other local customs, traditions and rites practiced in different parts of the country,” she said.