Description:

Painting of the Holy Infant of Our Lady of Atocha--El Santo Niño de Atocha (also called the Night Walking Infant of Atocha)
Oil on tin, 19th c. Mexico. This image of Jesus as the Holy Infant of Atocha dates back to the 13th town of Atocha (now a central part of the city of Madrid, Spain; and the word "Atocha" comes from a Spanish contraction for "Theotokos", meaning "Mother of God). After Atocha fell to Muslim rule in the 13th c., Christians were taken as prisoners but they were not fed by the prison—the caliph declared that they could only be fed by their relatives or other children under the age of twelve. The women of Atocha thus prayed to the Lady of Atocha in their church to ask her to have her son Jesus help the prisoners eat and drink (since many did not have children or other young family members who could bring them food). All the time the captives were fed, the bread basket and water gourd remained full—and although nobody knew the child (who was disguised as a simple pilgrim), it was understood that he was Jesus.  Young Jesus here is distinctly characterized by particular attributes: a brown pilgrim's cloak, a feathered hat, a walking staff with a gourd for drinking water attached to it in his left hand, a basket of bread in his right hand, and two vases of flowers. This Holy Infant is seen barefoot as it is said that he roamed the hills and valleys particularly at night, bringing aid and comfort to the needy, as well as guiding lost travellers to safety—and thereby walking for miles on end and wearing out his shoes.  Jesus as a young holy infant is considered the patron saint of travellers, the hungry, those in danger ad those unjustly imprisoned.

  • Dimensions: 17cm x 25cm
  • Condition: Good. A bit of overall wear and a few scratches and rust.

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April 22, 2023 10:00 AM CDT
St. Louis, MO, US

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