A giant statue of the Baby Jesus, standing 5 metres tall, has arrived in Mexico City’s Tepito neighbourhood as part of a campaign to promote peace and goodwill. The figure, which resembles a newborn but weighs about half a tonne, was created by Mexican artist Abraham Gómez in 2013 and has since travelled to communities across central Mexico.
Local resident Guillermo Ramírez, a musician, coordinated the statue’s visit to Tepito, an area known for its strong identity and street markets but also for crime. “By bringing it here, I want to show that there are good people in Tepito,” he said. His wife, Alma Cravioto, added: “Since it represents peace, we hope for peace in our neighbourhood, in our family.”
Gómez created the statue with his brother as part of a project called “Walk for Peace and Good”, intended to spread values through sacred art. The figure has visited areas affected by drug-related violence in states such as Puebla, Tlaxcala and Jalisco. “Insecurity has complicated our visits lately, but that’s why we think these activities are more necessary than ever,” Gómez said.
The statue is made from steel, polyurethane foam and resin reinforced with fibreglass. It is transported in a basket on a flatbed truck and is accompanied by processions leading to a local church or meeting point, where a Mass is celebrated. On Monday night, dozens of residents gathered as music and prayers filled the street, and neighbours shared a traditional warm corn drink called atole.
Following Mexican tradition, the statue was dressed in textiles inspired by Huichol art, an Indigenous tradition from western Mexico. “We want to reclaim the traditions of our ancestral communities,” Gómez said, adding that Mexico is a blend of Spanish and Indigenous cultures. Local devotee María Concepción Franco said the visit was a blessing: “He has granted me miracles and I have asked much of him.”
