Summer Newsletter 2017
Content by Kenneth Fahy:

Anyway, back to my overseas venture at Easter. Even though It's s a long time since I came back at the end of April, I still feel the emotional and spiritual impact of the experience, particularly as see being a nude model as part of my fervent Catholic faith, and fully prepared to suffer for it. The Philippines is a country famous for the very realistic crucifixions carried out every Easter: the society who brought me there - known as the "Sa Guimaras Pagtaltal" - knew all about me through their relationship with the Sodality of St Dismas. They thought I was an ideal candidate and sought me out for the crucifixion they had planned for 14th April, Good Friday this year. They kindly paid for my travel expenses to and from Manila. The crucifixion itself took place near a town called Pampanga, on the isle of Luzon and a couple of hours car journey from Manila. I do not intend to go into detail about what actually happened, but I am more than ready to give a full written account to anyone who is interested (plus images.) It was a very powerful experience to be crucified in the open air in a semi-tropical climate, which made it more authentic. Some of the crucifixions staged in the Philippines involve the victims wearing a loincloth, but this particular society requires those to be crucified to be completely naked, in true emulation of what actually happened on Calvary. And what I had to undergo was not for the faint-hearted! My role was that of the good thief Dismas. The events involved the dragging of the cross to the site where the crucifixion was to take place: the scourging, with leather belts ; and, something not done to me before, was the piercing of my naked belly with a spear by a man acting the part of a Centurion. I was not crucified alone: four other men were crucified alongside me, all volunteers from Europe and unafraid of sharing the sufferings which Jesus had to endure. All of us were on the crosses from early morning until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, which is the time Jesus was said to have died. I fact, when we were taken down we were all near expiry. And then there was more to come: the washing of our naked bodies, their being put on display, followed by our entombment overnight. The crucifixions which take place every Easter in the Philippines attract thousands of spectators, and everything is taken extremely seriously. My crucifixion in Pampanga was witnessed by around 50-60 people, and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever done. And I'm proud to relate that much of what happened can be seen on YouTube, which I think is fantastic. So, there we are. And I have been told I will be called upon to repeat the experience in Easter 2018, But that's for the future: I hope everyone has a good summer even though a lot of work seems to dry up, and let's hope the weather stays warm!!,

God bless

Kenneth 5th May 2017: My email is kandjfahy@aol.com.
And I can be reached on 07890 661717.
I can also provide plenty of images of my work.