The Infant of Atocha.
During the 13th Century, Spain was under Umayyad conquest of Hispanic by the Moors. The town of Atocha was lost to the Muslim invaders, and the Christians there were taken prisoners. The Christians were placed on strict punishments and prohibitions, and the devout prisoners were denied food by their captors.
Eventually, only children under the age of 12 were permitted to bring them food. The women of Atocha knew that most of the people in the jails could not survive under such conditions. They were praying before the statue of Our Lady of Atocha, they pleaded for the Blessed Virgin Mary to ask her son Jesus Christ for help.
Reports began to spread among the people of Atocha that a child under the age of twelve had begun to bring food to childless prisoners. The child was dressed in pilgrim's clothing.
When the women of Atocha heard of the miraculous Child, they returned to Our Lady of Atocha and thanked the Virgin for her intercession. Looking upon the image of the Madonna, they noticed that the shoes worn by the Infant Jesus held by Our Lady of Atocha were tattered and dusty. The shoes were replaced but were soiled once again. The people of Atocha saw this as a sign that the Infant Jesus went out every night to help those in need. It is said that he does many miracles, especially to children.
In the early 1900's the influenza pandemic was ravaging the world, when it struck Cuba my mother Silvia, who is now 92 and a baby in her cradle at the time was stricken by the deadly disease.
My grandmother Mercedes was also stricken and as my mother describes it my grandmother had been delirious and "singing" for a period of almost a month.
My mother specifies that a Doctor came to see her that day and diagnosed that they "wouldn't make it through the night".
That evening my mother's mother, my great grandmother placed this image of The Infant of Atocha in her cradle and prayed for the Christ Child of Atocha to help them through the night.
The following morning when the Doctor came to pronounce my mother dead he found her in her crib laughing and playing, The image of The Christ Child of Atocha next to her.
My grandmother's health had also been restored.
Thank You Lord Jesus for sparing my mother and grandmother.
A replica of this hundred year old image is here on my website for your veneration.
The prophet Isaiah proclaims that "and a Little Child shall lead them" in the Old Testament, it is my hope that this image of The Christ Child will bring Peace and Healing to us all.
Today a new Pandemic, Abortion, threatens the lives of children throughout the world.
May the image of The Christ Child of Atocha help to keep them safe and change the hearts of all mothers who are contemplating the Great Evil of Abortion.
