Shoes for the Santo Nio

The story of Julianita and the Santo Niño is an expression of the fabric of northern New Mexico, its culture and its traditions. Stories like this have been told literally thousands of times in homes all across the Southwest. Venerated since the eighth century, the Santo Niño is an important part of both the Native American and the Hispanic traditions. People pray to the Santo Niño for healing, mainly of children, and devoted pilgrims frequently leave children's shoes at his shrines. Many believe that he wears the shoes out at night when he goes walking secretly visiting children while they are asleep in order to heal them. The most famous shrines to the Santo Niño are in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico and Chimayó, New Mexico. This story was written in the 1930s by famed New Mexico author Peggy Pond Church and lost for almost seven decades. Re-discovered, it is now brought back to life with full-color illustrations by award-winning Santa Fe artist Charlie Carrillo.