Lenten Facts - Who is Saint Longinus?
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 w...