The statue, created in 2013 by Mexican artist Abraham Gómez and his brother under the project name “Walk for Peace and Good,” has visited communities across three Mexican states — including areas where drug-trafficking violence has restricted travel — with Gómez saying the need for the work has grown rather than diminished.
MEXICO CITY — A 16-foot Baby Jesus statue arrived Monday night in Tepito, a central Mexico City neighborhood known for its open-air markets and persistent crime, drawing dozens of residents to a street procession, Mass and shared cups of atole as the figure continued a peace tour across central Mexico. The visit was organized by a local musician who said he hoped it would demonstrate that good people live in Tepito.
The statue is part of a project called “Walk for Peace and Good,” created in 2013 by Mexican artist Abraham Gómez and his brother to spread what Gómez described as a values message to families and communities through sacred art.
“For us, the important thing is not just bringing the statue so visitors can take photos,” Gómez said. “It’s that they leave with a message that stays in their hearts.”
A traveling peace mission
The figure resembles a newborn but stands 5 meters tall, built from a steel frame covered in polyurethane foam and resin reinforced with fiberglass. It weighs about half a ton and travels inside a massive basket mounted on a flatbed truck. At each stop, Gómez and his brother lead a procession to a local church or gathering point where devotees make offerings and a priest celebrates Mass.
The statue has visited communities in the Mexican states of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Jalisco, including areas where drug-trafficking violence has affected local life.
“Insecurity has complicated our visits lately,” Gómez said. “But that’s why we think these activities are more necessary than ever.”
A Tepito initiative
Guillermo Ramírez, a 49-year-old musician who lives in Tepito, first saw the statue in 2024 in a neighboring area and reached out to the family who owns it, arranging for its first visit to his community that same year. He coordinated logistics for the current visit as well.
“The Baby Jesus means everything to me and my family because we are very Catholic,” Ramírez said. “By bringing it here, I want to show that there are good people in Tepito.”
His wife, Alma Cravioto, said the visit carried a specific hope. “Since it represents peace, we hope for peace in our neighborhood, in our family,” she said.
After the Monday night arrival, the statue was moved to an upright seated position on Tuesday. Following Mexican Catholic custom, locals dressed the figure in traditional textiles inspired by Huichol art, a colorful Indigenous tradition from western Mexico.
“We want to reclaim the traditions of our ancestral communities,” Gómez said. “To show that Mexico is a blend of cultures, shaped by both Spanish heritage and Indigenous roots.”
Personal devotion
For Tepito resident María Concepción Franco, the visit carried deep personal meaning. She has collected Baby Jesus figures over the years and keeps some at home while carrying one in her purse.
“This is a blessing for me,” she said. “He has granted me miracles and I have asked much of him.”
“He helps me stay strong despite all difficulties,” Franco said. “I don’t have any children, but I am really devoted to him.”