I've also seen pictures of Mexican Catholics crucifying themselves on good friday. The spanish mass has always been different. I come from a long line of Catholics, but I left. I hate bringing that up because I end up getting torched.
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I'm not aware of any official approval by the Church of Good Friday crucifixion. For which I am grateful. It's hard enough trying to be a good Catholic without throwing that into the mix. :)
I don't think I am out of line in saying that anyone, especially lapsed or former Catholics is welcome to these threads. The only thing that we might ask is that those who visit respect our religion.
Are you sure? I've never seen Mexican Catholics autocrucifying. Filipinos, yes, not Mexicans.
There's no difference whatsoever in a Spanish Mass (except that the Spanish text has been translated more accurately from the Latin than has the English text).
Certain cultures, such as the Filipino and Mexican cultures, have maintained a very high level of emotional, dramatic practices that were probably brought by the Spanish but then transformed by local cultures into something even more spectacular. Spain has penitential processions and sometimes even flagelants, for example, but they do not have people who crucify themselves. Some of these things should have been suppressed, as theatre in the churches was suppressed by the Pope centuries ago when it got out of control, but there has been no control over Catholic liturgical and paraliturgical practice for about 40 years. I strongly suspect that the new Pope and Arinze are going to be looking at these things.