Lenten Facts - Who is Saint Longinus?

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Every year during the Lenten season, a pageant is held on a Philippine island where the local residents, mostly menfolk, wear Roman-inspired centurion costumes putting on colorful paper masks. These centurions would go running around the town square trying to catch one of their kind and scaring children with their imposing masks.  Who are they after? How did this pageant reach our shores?

I've decided to write a piece about a little known saint who played a nondescript role during the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Later on, this saint would play a major role in spreading Christianity to Cappadocia in Turkey. The saint's influence has also reached Philippine shores.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ has touched the lives of many men and women. He continued to touch lives even in his passion, death, and resurrection.  There was one such person whose life Jesus has touched. His name is  Longinus. He had never been a part of Jesus' inner circle of apostles while Jesus preached in Jerusalem and other parts of Israel. Longinus was a Roman soldier assigned to the governor of Judea - Pontius Pilate. Like any Roman soldier, he was toughened by the rigors of military life in the Roman army accustomed to constant conquest of nations.  There was no space for compassion and mercy in his heart. I'm pretty sure he had no inkling that his life would make a dramatic turn on that fateful day of Jesus' death. 

Longinus commanded the company of soldiers who guarded Jesus during his crucifixion at Mount Calvary. He was known to be blind in one eye. When Jesus expired, Longinus took up a spear and thrust it on the side of Jesus' lifeless body nailed on the cross (John 19:34). Blood and water poured out of the side of Jesus and some of it splashed on Longinus and immediately he was able to see with his blind eye.  Longinus then realized the injustice that was done to Jesus Christ and concluded that he was a good man and not a criminal. 


John Wayne from the movie in 1965 "The Greatest Story Ever Told"

Longinus and the other soldiers guarded the tomb where Jesus' dead body lay. They were the very first ones who witnessed the resurrection. That event deeply affected Longinus which convinced him deep in his soul and without a doubt, of Christ's divinity. After that incident, the Jews who orchestrated the crucifixion tried to bribe them not to say a word of what happened, but Longinus vowed not to be silenced.  He sought out the apostles to be baptized. He left the army with the other two soldiers who also witnessed the event. He received his new marching orders from the apostles.

Longinus and the other soldiers set out for Cappadocia, a province in Turkey. Inspired by the events in Judea, Longinos with fiery conviction spread the news, and a lot of people embraced Christianity. There were accounts of miracles attributed to Longinus.  There was a story he miraculously spoke even if his teeth were pulled out and his tongue was cut. Pilate, instigated by Jews in Judea, ordered the manhunt of Longinus. When Longinus was found, he did not resist arrest and instead openly welcomed his beheading.

Longinus is a venerated saint in Western and Eastern Christian churches.  In Marinduque, an island in the Philippines, a yearly festival is held called the "Moriones Festival".  It happens during the holy week to commemorate the "Passion of Christ" and Longinus' martyrdom.  In 1870, a priest named Dionisio Santiago introduced the festival in Mogpog, Marinduque. Devotees and participants put on masks and ornate costumes of the period during Christ's passion to celebrate the festival.


Photo courtesy of http://www.lakadpilipinas.com

The Roman Empire expanded its domination across the old world because of its military composed of soldiers, like Longinus. Jesus, on the other hand, expanded his heavenly kingdom here on earth with his band of soldiers who weren't armed with spears or swords but with faith, conviction, and love.

Sites I visited to know more about Longinus:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longinus
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=11
https://oca.org/saints/lives/2012/10/16/102980-martyr-longinus-the-centurion-who-stood-at-the-cross-of-the-lord

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