Crucifixion in Kapitangan, Bulacan.

Buboy Dionisio and John Safran.

I only learned later on from Australian blogger CBMused, who saw some of my pictures on my facebook account, that John Michael was recognized by the Australian press to be John Safran (born 13 August 1976) an Australian documentarian and media personality, well known for pranks and indelicate handling of controversial issues. Some of his stunts includes running naked through the streets of Jerusalem, being baptised in Africa, placing a Voodoo curse on his ex-girlfriend, getting a Catholic priest to review death metal music and of course his now infamous Crucifixion in Kapitangan.
If you want to know more of John Saffran you can read the Wikipedia entry about him here.
I am not here to attack the motivation of anybody. I can only state that John managed to fool everybody and that he has guts. I wouldn’t run naked through the streets of Jerusalem nor let me be crucified. 

I was surprised to read on the internet that John Saffran was not the first foreigner to be crucified in the Philippines.  Some foreigners have previously been crucified including a Belgian !!!!!  :-)  nun and a Japanese man, who later allowed footage of his ordeal to be used in a pornographic film. In 2006 Dominik Diamond, a British broadcaster, chickened out and wept after watching nine Filipinos take their turn to be nailed on crosses and realizing that his turn was next. “God wanted me only to pray at the foot of my cross,” he sobbed, sinking to his knees and praying as local people and tourists started to boo.

The event, which is not endorsed by the Church, has developed over the
years into a major tourist attraction and pulls in thousands of fascinated
onlookers. Some locals agree that it became a big media circus and a tourist attraction but for some the real essence remains. Buboy Dionisio is without doubt one of those.

 

 

Comments

[haze]

If he's working for fame & money then he'll do everything. Even if he was crucified, there was a hidden subject of mockery!

In the media world, there are some pretty damn evil people...good thing good people like you exist ;)! AMAZING CAPTURES SIDNEY !

[Amelia]

what a surprising post...didn't know that huh. thanks for sharing. ;)

[dong ho]

that i didnt know too maybe because i never tried to witness this. maybe soon.

[Lantaw]

i heard about him in the news. does he have the right to broadcast or sell his video footages?

[bw]

good pics Sidney. This crucifixion thing has turned into a tourist spectacle quite unfortunately and despite the church's ban, it carries on unabated.

[rian]

oh, a prankster? that is sad.. let's see if he endures the pain..

[Cléa]

The expression on his face in the first photograph makes you wonder if he's having second thoughts. I've never seen him look so serious.

And thank you for the shoutout, Sidney. A pleasure to provide you with some information on the event.

[jms]

C'est complètement fou comme histoire... et je suis quand même, profondément interloqué.

[Dee]

John Safran looks pretty serious as he looks at the bottle (are those the nails inside?) in the first photo. Maybe he's contemplating about how those nails would hurt...

Events like these are really a spectacle. They're fascinating even if they somehow gives me goosebumps. :)

[pieterbie]

A special kind of tourism for which we have a particular name here in Belgium: "Ramptoeristen".

[sandy]

wow, interesting info and when I get a chance I'll check out some of those links...wow, again...

[david]

it just gets more and more fascinating. thank you for bringing another world into my living room.

[dodong flores]

I can't wait to see photos of John Safran nailed to the cross and bleeding.

[Ferdz]

I've heard about him. Will await your docu whether he did crucify himself here.

[don]

It's hard to not take sides in this issue. He sounds like the kind of guy who will want to make a photo opportunity of his own suicide... but he won't really be dead...reappearing to fame and gory...glory!

[Bengbeng]

He has a choice . to go thru with it or not to go thru with it, whatever his motivations. This is no light undertaking... requires lots of courage

[MK]

John Safran. With him it would be hard to tell who's for real and who's out for kicks. Not condemning Safran. Maybe it's good for the tourist industry or maybe he's just making a statement(who knows?) Also, as many more like him take the nail the church, if not the government, might put a stop to this superstitious practice.

[standley]

Je comprends mieux sa motivation maintenant!

[moonhead]

Nice set of images

[jms]

Tout cela me laisse perplexe et me fascine en même temps.

[michele]

i wonder if his ex-girlfriend sued him after he placed the curse on her.

Buboy does look like the real thing - and in the first image he looks worried. i wonder if he feels he has a bit much on his hands with Safran and the media there.

i really like the second photograph - even with the backstory it feels like a serious and sincere moment between two men.

[oggi]

This jerk is trivializing the religious rituals for a TV show. What a douchebag.:)

I can't wait to see photos of him nailed to the cross and bleeding.LOL

I for one don't think he'll look good nekkid, he's puny and looks like Woody Allen.:D

[Otto K.]

prank or not, there is no way I would do that.

[Stunner]

That is interesting. I would never volunteer to do such a thing though.

[Asian Traveler]

So this is the Australian television prankster John Safran. I agree with luna. haha.. Let's see if he has the guts.