Although I think people who do this are quite insane, it's technically a Good Friday observance. There are a scary number of whack-jobs out there who believe that to honor Jesus, they need to suffer in the fashion he is said to have suffered (stopping short of crucifixion, of course).
First comes the ow. The happy, joy, joy, rise from the dead thing doesn't happen til Sunday.
I know I've heard of people renacting it with ropes, which is how it was usually done, but not with nails. (On the flip side, I've heard from a depressing amount of people who are under the impression that the nails go through the *palms*. No. Bad.) Where and when?
Other way around; the concept of Christ with nails through palms is at least eight hundred years old, so I'm pretty sure that those I've heard talk about how it's supposed to be nails through palms got it from the artwork, not the other way around. I've never seen a crucifix with the nails through the wrists/forearms.
That said, where have you heard of people re-enacting with nails? I've heard someone talk about wanting to, once, but never actually heard of it being done.
Come to New Mexico for Easter some time. We have a group who are called "Penitente" that do a pilgrimage complete with flagellation every year.
Most pilgrims are straight Christian and do a 3 or 4 day walk to Chimayo from all over the state. You have to be careful driving in that area for fear of running down these people. Some of them even do the last half to full mile on their knees.
Every. Year.
They all go to this one church where it is rumored they may be healed by touching the dirt in the chapel. The line usually runs out the door and down the road several miles to the main state highway for most of the weekend. In an anthropological sense, it's kind of interesting. In a day-to-day "I am not so christian" kind of sense, it's creepy as hell.
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-14 05:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-14 05:17 pm (UTC)This is an Easter celebration.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-14 05:22 pm (UTC)First comes the ow. The happy, joy, joy, rise from the dead thing doesn't happen til Sunday.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-14 05:29 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-15 09:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-15 02:11 pm (UTC)Some of these people end up creating religious artwork for churches. I've seen the nails through the palms on crusifixes in churches before.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-15 02:58 pm (UTC)That said, where have you heard of people re-enacting with nails? I've heard someone talk about wanting to, once, but never actually heard of it being done.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-16 04:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-14 06:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-14 09:44 pm (UTC)Most pilgrims are straight Christian and do a 3 or 4 day walk to Chimayo from all over the state. You have to be careful driving in that area for fear of running down these people. Some of them even do the last half to full mile on their knees.
Every. Year.
They all go to this one church where it is rumored they may be healed by touching the dirt in the chapel. The line usually runs out the door and down the road several miles to the main state highway for most of the weekend. In an anthropological sense, it's kind of interesting. In a day-to-day "I am not so christian" kind of sense, it's creepy as hell.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-18 07:28 pm (UTC)Not sure I know how to explain that, mind you.