Merry Christmas
The Holy Child of Atocha (Santo Niño de Atocha)
13th century
Feast Day: December 25
Patronage: Mexico, children, pilgrims, prisoners, travelers
The devotion to the Holy Infant of Atocha originated in Spain during the Muslim invasion. In Atocha, the Moors kept the Catholic men imprisoned and would only allow children 12 and under to bring them food and drink. After fervent prayer from families of the town to the Mother of God under the title of Our Lady of Atocha, a child pilgrim miraculously appeared bringing a basket of food and a gourd filled with drink to the prisoners that never emptied. The townspeople realized that it was the Child Jesus. In the church, the shoes of the Infant in the statue of Our Lady of Atocha were worn and dusty. Each time the village women replaced them, they found them worn and dusty again.
Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)
