Giant Baby Jesus statue visits Mexico City’s Tepito neighborhood with
message of peace
[March 11, 2026]
By MARÍA TERESA HERNÁNDEZ
MEXICO CITY (AP) — His face and body resemble those of a newborn. Yet
the Baby Jesus statue towers 16 feet (5 meters) tall and travels across
central Mexico spreading a message of peace.
The giant figure arrived this week in Mexico City’s Tepito neighborhood,
known for its bustling street markets and strong local identity, but
also for longstanding crime problems. Prayers, offerings and a Mass
followed.
“The Baby Jesus means everything to me and my family because we are very
Catholic,” said Guillermo Ramírez, a local resident who coordinated
logistics for the statue’s visit. “By bringing it here, I want to show
that there are good people in Tepito.”
The 49-year-old musician first saw the giant Baby Jesus in 2024 in a
nearby neighborhood. Seeing the devotion it drew from worshippers, he
thought his own community could benefit too. So he reached out to the
family who owns the statue, which made its first visit to Tepito later
that year.
“Since it represents peace, we hope for peace in our neighborhood, in
our family,” said Ramírez’s wife, Alma Cravioto.
A statue on a mission
Mexican artist Abraham Gómez created the Baby Jesus figure with his
brother in 2013.
“This began as a project called ‘Walk for Peace and Good,’ intended to
promote and spread values in families, towns and neighborhoods through
sacred art,” Gómez said.
The statue has traveled to communities in the Mexican states of Puebla,
Tlaxcala and Jalisco, including places where violence stemming from drug
trafficking affects local communities.
“Insecurity has complicated our visits lately,” Gómez said. “But that’s
why we think these activities are more necessary than ever.”
Made with a steel frame and layers of polyurethane foam and resin
reinforced with fiberglass, the statue weighs about half a ton. Gómez
said he found inspiration in the smaller Baby Jesus figures cherished
among Mexican Catholics, who traditionally dress them ahead of Candlemas
on Feb. 2.
He and his brother transport the image in a massive basket placed on top
of a flatbed truck. For each of the Baby Jesus’ journeys, they lead a
procession that heads to a local church or meeting point, where devotees
can make offerings and a priest celebrates Mass.
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A parishioner crosses herself in front of a giant Baby Jesus in
Mexico City, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)
 After its arrival in Tepito on
Monday night, dozens of residents gathered around the towering
statue as music and prayers filled the street. Neighbors also shared
“atole,” a traditional warm corn drink.
“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.”
Faith in the neighborhood
The giant Baby Jesus left his sleeping position on Tuesday and was
seated upright. Following the Mexican custom of dressing him up,
locals clothed the statue with 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.”
María Concepción Franco, who lives in Tepito, said she had
previously seen the figure and was excited about having him visit
her neighborhood.
“This is a blessing for me,” she said. “He has granted me miracles
and I have asked much of him.”
Friends and loved ones have given her images of the Baby Jesus
throughout the years. She keeps some at home and carries one in her
purse.
“He helps me stay strong despite all difficulties,” Franco said. “I
don’t have any children, but I am really devoted to him.”
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