Holy Child by Venancio Marco Roch
He was born in Yecla (Murcia) in 1871, and he dedicated himself to sculpture in a self-taught way until completing his training at the San Fernando School in Valencia. It is in this city where he set up his workshop, on Caballeros street, where he had the Capuchins as neighbors (who lived on this street until 1913) and where he made a great friendship with them. The aforementioned friendship won him numerous commissions from the Capuchins, not only for the Spanish convents, but also for the mission convents in Colombia.
In the convent of L'Olleria the carving of a Child Jesus is preserved, and the work of the Immaculate Conception by fray Juan de Benisa completed. He died in Valencia in 1936.
Why does the Holy Child get dressed in new clothes every year in Mexico?
Many beautiful representations of the Holy Child are part of the February 2 celebration of the Dia de la Candelaria, celebrated mainly in Mexico, and throughout the Hispanic Catholic world. Like many holidays in Mexico, this feast represents a fusion of Catholicism, indigenous tradition and modern culture.
On dia de la Candelaria, everyone on the street is carrying a baby Jesus in their arms. Dressed up and sitting in a chair, no less. To them, this is a special day when Jesus first wore clothes.
It is also known as Candlemas or the Presentation of Christ at the Temple, the religious holiday is celebrated on February 2 according to the biblical record of the day that Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple.
Many Mexican families own a Niño Dios (Holy child representation), and most times this is a family heirloom. On Christmas Eve, the family’s Nino Dios takes his place in the traditional nativity scene, which usually involves a hillside setting complete with a stream, animals on the hill and manger at the top. There is the requisite holy family: angels, wise men and shepherds, but often a wider range of animals that aren't typically portrayed (such as turkeys, fish and monkeys).
On Kings’ Day January 6, celebrating the day that the three wise men reached the manger to give the newborn Jesus their gifts, the Nino Dios figure also receives presents from the magi (as do Mexican children rather than from the commercially sold-out Santa Claus). When families and friends share the wreath-shaped Rosca de Reyes bread, there is a hidden plastic baby Jesus somewhere in it. The person who finds the plastic figure then hosts the party on Día de la Candalaria, traditionally providing tamales and drinks for the whole party.
But back to Jesus and his clothes. It’s a tradition unique to Mexico to dress the God Child each year in new clothes for presentation at mass on Día de la Candelaria. Like many of the traditions that took hold after the Spanish conquest, the gentle Mexican people didn’t resist the culture of their captors but simply patch-worked it onto an already complex anthropological quilt. Somewhere along the line, it became tradition for the baby to wear not just any old clothes for the Candlemas mass, but new ones.
In some cases, the recipient of the baby Jesus in the Kings’ Day cake bread is actually seen as a kind of godparent, with the responsibility of buying a new outfit for up to three years. The first year (or if it’s a new Niño Dios), the baby is traditionally dressed in white as a symbol of purity. Other traditional presentations include Jesus seated in a chair; with his pastoral staff or pilgrim’s basket; holding a lamb or white dove; or bearing lilies.
Of course, Jesus needing new clothes every year has given rise to all-out capitalism – which is why you can find whole market stalls dedicated to his potential wardrobe. By far, the majority of the selection leans towards the traditional: white satin with gold trim, crown and scepter. Jesus as shepherd is also acceptably traditional, in his brown sandals and simple robe, or with a pilgrim’s hat and staff.
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