Holy Infant of Atocha facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Holy Infant of Atocha Santo Niño de Atocha
Traditional portrayal of Santo Niño de Atocha
Location	Atocha, Spain
Date	13th century
Patronage	Spain, Mexico, travelers, protection from danger, those unjustly imprisoned
Attributes	Brown cloak, blue robe, feathered hat, basket, staff, water gourde, vase with flowers at feet

The Holy Infant of Atocha, also known as Santo Niño de Atocha, is a special image of Jesus as a child. It is very popular in Catholic communities, especially in Spain, Latin America, and the southwestern United States. This image shows the Christ Child carrying a basket and a staff. He also has a drinking gourd and a cape with a scallop shell, which is a symbol of a pilgrimage to Saint James.

The Story of the Holy Infant of Atocha

An old painting of the Holy Infant from the 17th century.

The devotion to the Holy Infant of Atocha began a long time ago in Toledo, Spain. It started with a medieval statue of the Madonna and Child, which shows Mary with baby Jesus. People would often borrow the small statue of the infant when a woman was about to have a baby.

In the 13th century, a large part of Spain was under Muslim rule. The town of Atocha, which is now part of Madrid, was taken over by the Muslims. Many Christians from Atocha were taken as prisoners during this time.

The jailers did not feed the Christian prisoners. Their families had to bring them food. However, the ruler ordered that only children under 12 years old could bring food to the prisoners. This made things very hard for prisoners who did not have small children. The women of Atocha prayed to Our Lady of Atocha at a nearby church. They asked her son, Jesus, for help.

Soon, amazing stories began to spread among the people of Atocha. They said that an unknown child, who looked younger than 12, was bringing food to the prisoners who had no children. This child was dressed like a pilgrim.

The women of the town went back to the church to thank Our Lady of Atocha. They noticed something strange: the shoes on the statue of the Infant Jesus were worn out and dusty. They replaced the shoes, but soon these new shoes also became worn out. The people of Atocha believed this was a sign. They thought it was the Infant Jesus himself who was going out every night to help those in need.

What the Holy Child Looks Like

The Holy Child of Atocha is shown dressed like a young pilgrim. He wears a brown cloak with a white lace collar over a blue robe. He also has a hat with a feather.

In one hand, he carries a basket full of bread. In the other hand, he holds a pilgrim's staff. A water gourd is often tied to his staff. On his cloak, you can see a Shell of Saint James. This shell is a symbol for pilgrims who travel to the Shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

People say that the Child roams around, especially at night. He brings help and comfort to those who need it. This is why his shoes are always worn out. He is usually shown sitting down.

Devotion Spreads Beyond Atocha

The conflict with the Moors spread far beyond the town of Atocha. During difficult journeys, travelers reported seeing a young boy. He was dressed like a pilgrim and would bring them food and other things they needed. This boy would often travel with them until they were safe. Then, he would guide them to the safest roads.

Over time, more stories were told about this miraculous Child. People came to believe he was the Child Jesus himself. He was then given the title Holy Child of Atocha.

In North America

There is a special shrine dedicated to Niño de Atocha in Plateros, Mexico. It is near the city of Fresnillo. The original Mexican Niño de Atocha image was brought from Atocha, Spain, to Zacatecas in 1554. It was placed in the church of Saint Augustine after silver was discovered in Plateros.

When silver mines opened in Fresnillo, there was an explosion. Many miners became trapped underground. The miners' wives went to the church to pray for their husbands. They noticed that the child on the image of Our Lady of Atocha was missing. At the same time, a child was said to have appeared to the trapped miners. He gave them water and showed them a way out of the mine.

Whenever there was a problem at the mine, the child helped the miners. Each time this happened, the image of the child on the Virgin's arms was found to be dirty. His clothes also had small holes. After that, the Holy Child was taken from his mother's arms. He was placed in a glass box for everyone to see. The Holy Child of Atocha became a symbol for Zacatecas and a protector of miners. Many people visit Plateros at Christmas to bring toys to the Holy Child.

Several religious places in New Mexico, USA, are also dedicated to the Santo Niño. There is a shrine in Chimayo, New Mexico. A small church called "Santo Niño del Antocha" was built in 1911. It is located near the Sierra Blanca Mountain Range. There is also an outdoor trail for The Stations of the Cross leading to a cross on a nearby peak.

In 1998, an outdoor shrine to El Niño de Atocha was created. It is at La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles in downtown Los Angeles, California.

In the Philippines

The Holy Infant of Atocha is also very popular among Filipino Catholics. The local version is simply called Santo Niño (Holy Child). It looks very similar to the Spanish Atocha image. However, the Filipino version is always standing, not sitting.

He carries a staff with a bag or basket. This is usually filled with coins or candy. He also wears a pilgrim hat, just like the Atocha image.

Many Filipino homes have a Santo Niño statue. It is traditionally dressed in either green or red clothes. In Filipino Folk Catholicism, red clothes are for statues kept at home. Green clothes are for statues in businesses. People often offer a bowl of coins and sweets to the business statues.

Many Filipinos also dress their Santo Niño in modern clothes. These clothes often show their jobs, like nurses, doctors, or teachers. They do this to ask for his help in their work. These customs are also used for statues like the Santo Niño de Cebu and the Infant Jesus of Prague.

See also

• Infant Jesus of Prague
• Divine Infant Jesus
• Infancy Gospels
• Holy Infant of Good Health
• In Spanish: Santo Niño de Atocha para niños