Men toting chains and pierced with cactus keep a Good Friday tradition in Atlixco, Mexico

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ATLIXCO, Mexico (AP) — Every year, crowds fill the streets of the central Mexican town of Atlixco on the Catholic holiday of Good Friday to witness the sight.

Throngs of half-naked men walk through the scorching streets blindfolded, toting 70-pound chains and pieces of cactus lodged in their arms and legs. It’s part of a tradition in the town where participants say they are paying penance for their sins.

But participation has dipped in recent years, and a tradition that once involved more than 100 people now has just 35. It coincides with a larger dip in people who consider themselves Catholic in the Latin American nation.

Locals and organizers believe it’s due to the loss of faith among young people, who find the practice too burdensome.

Since 1990, the share of Mexicans who identify themselves as Catholic has dropped from just over 90% to 78%, according to Mexico’s 2020 census.

“Young people, they’re losing their faith,” said 68-year-old Atlixco businessman Vicente Valbuena, who conceded: “Also, the physical toll is pretty tough.”