Niño Fidencio, March 14-21

A celebration of a folk saint and healer from the small town of Espinazo. Niño Fidencio (1898-1938) had healing powers so powerful that a railroad was built to enable his followers to reach the town and be healed. Noted for his adolescent appearance, slanted eyes, and falsetto speaking voice, he cured with ritual, medicines and surgery. Every March his followers, the Fidencistas, gather to celebrate his birth. The Materías, those who claim to have inherited his healing powers, lead their followers to his shrine each year. Pilgrims roll, crawl and drag themselves to the site where he is buried,(see also the entry for the Niño Fidencio celebration of October 14-21). These slides document pilgims, processions, penance, ephemera, offerings, shrine, and other traditions associated with this event.

These slides are housed in LSF Container G.

A descriptive narrative of these slides is found on audiocassettes #4 sides A and B, which is housed in LSF Container RR.