Espinazo: Then and Now

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The town of Espinazo, Nuevo Leon has changed over the years much like the Fidencista Movement. More recently, Espinazo has
traversed the boundaries of Nuevo León and has crossed the U.S. - México Border.

The life, time, and places of the healer of Espinazo, Nuevo León, México, El Niño Fidencio, were magnificently captured with the
magic of the lens of the camera and the artistic eye of photographers of the time. Only a handful of these photographs may
presently be made available via the El Niño Fidencio Research Project for informational and educational purposes.

These copies of prints of the impressive revelations were introduced and made available to Dr. Antonio N. Zavaleta by the late
America Lopez de la Fuente de Ybarra in the late 1980s. These photographs taken during the time that El Niño Fidencio was
alive provides a historical record of events in the life of Mexico's most famous curandero.

After Fidencio's death in 1938, his memory and spirit is still revered. Today, Fidencio's following honors him with two fiestas
annually, in March and in October each year. More recent photographs, depict sites considered sacred and visited year-round by
the Fidencistas.
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The Pirulito

The oldest and most revered site second only to the actual tomb of El Niño Fidencio is the California Pepper tree where the
spiritual transformation of El Niño Fidencio took place.

This is an old photograph of the Pirulito in Espinazo, Nuevo León. Even then,
multitudes would pay homage to the sacred place in Fidencio's life

This is the site of the sacred pirul tree today where Fidencistas first visited
and ritually circled three times, (counter clockwise), around it upon arrival to
the holy grounds in gratitude to the spirit for all the favors received and a
safe arrival to Espinazo.

The Columpio

In the background is the original columpio that El Niño Fidencio used. Niño Fidencio healed deaf-mutes
and healed some who were paralyzed by strapping them on his lap and swinging them on the swing.

The Charquito

This is the water and mud pool used today in Espinazo for the
"limpias, curaciones, bendiciones y bautismos," ritual cleansings,
healings, blessings, and baptizing. Also known as "El Charquito"

"El Charquito"

Puerto Blanco

When Fidencio was alive, between the months of April and
September, he would take the masses a few kilometer east of
Espinazo to a hot spring called Puerto Blanco.

He would have the crowds bathe in these waters, (Charco Azul), a
pool of water stemming from underground natural sping water.

Another method Fidencio used for the blessing, healing, and
entertaining the large numbers that would come to him for reasons
concerning health, illness, and spirituality.

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La Dicha de la Santa Cruz

The, "Dicha de la Santa Cruz", good fortune of the saintly cross site today
in Espinazo. When Fidencio was alive, there were two corrals in this area.

Fidencio had the mental patients placed in one corral temporarily while
the time arrived during the day to treat and "heal" them. When the time
came, he would go or have someone, usually a family member bring the
mental patient to a room in the house where he would then go in with his
cougar, (named Concha), and a few moments later the mental patient
would come out of the room healed and well.

Fidencio had the ill with leprosy, (men and women together), placed in the
second corral and would boil the medicine on the spot and have them
drink that with which most with leprosy would "heal" and become well in a
few days of treatment. There actually exist several photos of this. Stories

told say Fidencio would boil lizards, snakes, spiders, bugs and herbs to heal those with leprosy.

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El Cerro de la Campana

A photo of El Cerro del la Campana taken during the time that el Niño Fidencio was alive and still healing at this sacred
place.
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El Cerro de la Campana is the holy and sacred site in which
Fidencio blessed and healed the multitudes. The followers of
Fidencio still come here to hold spiritual rituals, prayer in search
of healing and answers to problems of everyday life. Cerro de la
Campana Grande, (large bell hill), is just north of Espinazo and on
the way to the sacred hill, Cerro de la Campana

When Fidencio was alive, he would make pilgrimages to the holy
site, (small bell hill). On the way over, Fidencio would tell followers
that large bell hill represented hell and small bell hill represented the
glory of the Lord in the heavens. (The moral of the story was that
one has to pass through hell first to get to the glory of the Lord).

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The Cemeteries of Espinazo

Fidencio often officiated over funerals because of the lack of clergy. Due to the high death rates, several cemeteries were created. The high death rate was due to the large numbers of sick people that came to seek Fidencio but could not be seen in time.		Espinazo cemetery, (El Panteon de Espinazo)

		This cemetery, "Panteon de la Hacienda" is an older cemetery compared to the one on Espinazo and also the one where it is believed the lepers were buried.
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Many are buried here at the cemetery on the hill (cerrito del panteon). These are the tombs of the late Enrique Lopez de la Fuente and other family members.	North to south view of Cerro de la Guerra looking from the summit of cerrito del panteon.		A southeast to northwest view of Espinazo at a distance, from the top of cerrito del panteon.

La Gavia

Dr . Antonio Zavaleta and guide, Monico, at the
gate, (entrance to the Hacienda, La Gavia).

The Madero

The Madero as it existed during the time that El
Niño Fidencio was alive.

The madero in Fidencio's garden is a replacement
in the same place where Fidencio placed the
original cross in Espinazo. This is considered a
sacred site by the Fidencistas as Fidencio had
marked this site as a reminder that Jesus Christ
had died on the cross.

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The Tomb of El Niño Fidencio

This is the view of the entrance to Niño Fidencio's tomb from west to east.	Niño Fidencio's tomb.	This room on the north side of the late Lopez de la Fuente home became the final resting place for Fidencio's remains. It is now the part of the house and Shrine that embodies Fidencio's sacred tomb.
	Niño Fidencio's tomb.

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La Gruta

A cave where Fidencio visited and "healed" is up in this mountain
range west of Espinazo.

This is just inside the cave entrance looking down. Folklore has it
that Fidencio would enter here, travel into the cave and days later
would come out at a cave located at Cerro de la Campana miles
away.

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The Espinazo Train Station

An old photo of the same location. People are waiting for the train and in the distance, the water-
tower can be seen

This is the "La Estacion de Espinazo," Espinazo train station depot,
(no longer in use), and the water tank that used to power the old
fire and steam engine trains.

During the time of Fidencio, the train would stop and
bring visitors and the sick to Espinazo. This mode of
transportation was popular and the fastest way to
get to Espinazo.

Freight trains pass through Espinazo today. Passenger trains are a thing of the
past here. During Fidencio's time here, "El Tren Olivo," the presidential train of
Mexico's President Plutarco Elias Calles paid a visit to Espinazo and Niño
Fidencio.

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