Wikipedia

Gauchito Gil

The Gauchito Gil (literally "Little Gaucho Gil") is a folk religious figure from Argentina. His cult is inspired by the purported historical figure of Antonio Mamerto Gil Núñez (c. 1847–1878), whose existence is not reliably documented.[1] He is currently regarded as the most prominent folk saint in Argentina, although sanctuaries devoted to his cult are also found in Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Spain.[2][3][4][5][6]

Saint Gauchito Gil
A figure of Gauchito Gil in Argentina.
Little Gaucho Gil, Gaucho Saint, Folk Saint of Argentina
Born1840s, allegedly 1847
Mercedes (formerly Pay Ubre), Argentine Confederation
Died8 January 1878
Mercedes, Argentina
Venerated inFolk Catholicism
Major shrineSanctuary of Gauchito Gil, Mercedes, Corrientes
FeastJanuary 8
AttributesGaucho standing in front of a red cross, holding bolas or a red cross, red bandana, blue shirt, espinillo tree
PatronageGauchos, protection from harm, luck, fortune, good health, love, healing, outlaws, bravery, deserters, folk heroes, cowboys, safe passage

Legend

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Antonio Gil was supposedly born in the 1840s near what is now the city of Mercedes (formerly "Pay Ubre") in the province of Corrientes, Argentina, where he grew up to become a gaucho.[1][2] According to some accounts, in his youth he fought the local commissioner over the love of a woman—having pardoned the life of his rival, he was left with no choice but to leave town.[7]

According to a different version of the legend, one night, after being conscripted to fight in the War of the Triple Alliance, Gil had a dream in which God told him to not kill innocent people. He consequently deserted the army and became a fugitive from justice.[1][2]

According to yet another version, in the civil wars that followed the War of the Triple Alliance, he was a supporter of the Federalist Party, represented by the colour red, so when he was called up to fight in the ranks of the Unitarian army, he refused.[7] Whatever the case was, after he fled from justice, he went on to become a thief, perhaps a cattle rustler, who stole from the rich and helped the poor.[2][7] He was eventually caught on January 8, 1878 and sentenced to hang upside down from an espinillo tree, where his neck would be cut off. Before dying, he told the executioner that, upon arriving home, he would find his son very ill, but that he could be saved from death if the executioner prayed for Gil's intercession. The man did as the Gauchito had told him and his son was miraculously saved.[1][2][7] In gratitude, he returned to the spot where Gil had been executed, buried him, and erected a cross of espinillo wood, thus giving birth to the cult.[2][7]

Traditional roadside shrine to Gauchito Gil in Santiago del Estero Province.

Veneration

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Gauchito Gil shrine, Argentina.
Closer view of Gauchito Gil shrine, Argentina.
An image of Gauchito Gil (left) next to an image of San La Muerte (right).

Until the late twentieth century, devotion to Gauchito Gil was limited to the rural population of Corrientes and was of little relevance nationwide. In the 1990s, his cult experienced a sudden growth among the Argentine urban working classes, particularly in the Greater Buenos Aires area, where large numbers of people from the provinces had recently arrived in search of better living conditions.[1] Since outlaw saints are usually regarded as figures of resistance to authority and champions of the underclasses, Gauchito Gil's rise in popularity can be interpreted as a reaction to the neoliberal politics of the period (see Menemism).[1][2] The spread of the cult throughout the country was mainly the work of devout truck drivers, who were also responsible for erecting many of the roadside shrines dedicated to the saint.[7] As of 2019, around 23% of Argentines considered themselves devotees of the Gauchito.[8]

The main sanctuary of Gauchito Gil is located about 8 kilometers from the city of Mercedes, at the alleged site of his execution, and houses an empty mausoleum (i.e., a cenotaph) dedicated to his memory.[1] The mausoleum's walls are adorned with some 50,000 plaques expressing gratitude for various miracles granted by the saint.[2] To one side stands the tree where he was hanged. Offerings are left in the form of candles, red ribbons and flowers, cigarettes, and bottles of alcoholic drinks—things that the Gauchito is supposed to have liked when he was alive.[7] The sanctuary's grounds cover about 5 hectares and are lined with stalls selling food, religious images, crosses, red ribbons and flags, rosaries, mates, facones, ponchos, and other souvenirs.[2][7] The Mercedes sanctuary receives over 250,000 pilgrims a year, most of whom visit it for the saint's feast day on January 8. Festive activities on this date include masses, processions, dancing, drinking, and horse-riding demonstrations.[9][10][11]

Other major sanctuaries are located in the cities of Buenos Aires (Plaza Los Andes and Puente La Noria), Posadas, Rosario, and San Roque, among others, as well as in the suburbs of Buenos Aires (Bernal, Alejandro Korn, Troncos del Talar, etc.).[1][11][12][13] Small roadside shrines painted red and decorated with red flags and ribbons can be found scattered all over Argentina's roads, with special prevalence in the north of the country.[2]

Gauchito Gil and the Catholic Church

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Traditional shrine to Gauchito Gil beside a road in Santiago del Estero.

Gauchito Gil is not recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church, though the vast majority of his devotees identify themselves as Catholics, and many Argentine devotees and church leaders have been promoting him for canonization. Local church leaders in Mercedes hold masses on his feast day in the Church of Our Lady of Mercy. Other church leaders in Argentina have participated and approved of the devotion of Gauchito Gil, while some are divided on whether to embrace or condemn the phenomenon.[14] The Diocese of Goya and the Mexican Diocese of Celaya have both recognized the veneration of Gauchito Gil.[15][16]

The structure of the devotion is compatible with the form of Catholic worship found in popular Catholicism. In the Americas, Spanish evangelization of the population resulted in a way of being Christian distinct from the European one, which the Church today recognizes as "popular Catholicism".[17] There are many examples of popular devotions similar to that of Gauchito Gil in other parts of Latin America and even in European Christianity of the early centuries.[18]

As can be seen in some theological studies, the Church seeks ways to understand and accompany this phenomenon of popular faith.[19] Many Christian elements are recognized in this devotion. It is understood as:

"A history of freedom, martyrdom, and forgiveness that is penetrating ever more deeply into the hearts of our people, especially among the poor and marginalized. Many people, through this devotion, feel their lives daily enveloped by the merciful love of God. The intensity of the trust that many devotees place in the intercessory power of Antonio Gil is difficult to describe. Anyone who decides to listen to the devout people of this 'popular saint' will hear stories of lived faith rarely heard with more traditional saints".[18]

Unlike other Argentine folk saints, such as San La Muerte, whose devotion is strictly prohibited by the Church,[20] Gauchito Gil is tolerated by ecclesiastical leaders. Pope Francis, with his proposal of a "Church that goes forth", has been a proponent of this pastoral current that seeks to recognize God's work through this popular devotion that moves so many Christians.[21][22] While still Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he promoted the publication of a novena to the Cruz Gil edited by the Diocese of Goya.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Carballo, Cristina Teresa (2018-06-18). "PAISAJES DEL GAUCHITO GIL EN BUENOS AIRES ¿NEOCULTURAS URBANAS DE FE?" [Landscapes of Gauchito Gil in Buenos Aires: urban neocultures of faith?]. Espaço e Cultura (43): 113–130. doi:10.12957/espacoecultura.2018.46781. ISSN 2317-4161.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Graziano, Frank (2007). Cultures of devotion: folk saints of Spanish America. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-517130-3.
  3. ↑ Marín Alarcón, Nelson (2021). "Religión, materialidades e identidad regional: el Gauchito Gil en la Patagonia chilena (región de Aysén)" [Religion, materialities and regional identity: Gauchito Gil in Chilean Patagonia (Aysén Region)]. In Bahamondes, Luis (ed.). Prospección religiosa en el Cono Sur. Mercantilización, materialidades y creencias [Religious prospecting in the Southern Cone: commodification, materialities and beliefs]. Santiago de Chile: Crann Editores. pp. 145–166.
  4. ↑ Zárate, Jorge (October 9, 2018). "Gauchito Gil, protector en el Puente Remanso" [Gauchito Gil, protector at the Remanso Bridge]. La Nación. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  5. ↑ Hornos, Charly (January 10, 2015). "El Gauchito Gil tiene su santuario en Soriano, Uruguay" [Gauchito Gil has his sanctuary in Soriano, Uruguay]. Youtube. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  6. ↑ Di Menna, Fernando (October 2019). "Santuario de Gauchito Gil en Barcelona Alella" [Sanctuary of Gauchito Gil in Barcelona Alella]. Listado de Iglesias en España. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Caparrós, Martín; Carrión, Jorge (2014). El interior [The interior]. Lo real. Barcelona: Malpaso. ISBN 978-84-15996-20-0.
  8. ↑ Mallimaci, Fortunato; Giménez Béliveau, Verónica; Esquivel, Juan Cruz; Irrazábal, Gabriela (2019). Sociedad y Religión en Movimiento. Segunda Encuesta Nacional sobre Creencias y Actitudes Religiosas en la Argentina [Society and religion in motion: second national survey on religious beliefs and attitudes in Argentina]. Informe de Investigación. Buenos Aires: CEIL-CONICET. p. 18.
  9. ↑ "Gauchito Gil: Argentina's Cowboy Saint". Self published. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  10. ↑ "Día del nacimiento del Gauchito Gil: Mercedes y Posadas se preparan para los festejos" [Day of Gauchito Gil's birth: Mercedes and Posadas prepare for the celebrations]. Página 12. January 6, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  11. 1 2 Cerezo, Gastón (2019). "Marcas religiosas, territorios y espacios en el culto al Gauchito Gil" [Religious marks, territories and spaces in the cult of Gauchito Gil]. In Carballo, Cristina Teresa; Flores, Fabián Claudio (eds.). Geografías de lo sagrado en la contemporaneidad [Geographies of the sacred in contemporaneity]. Buenos Aires: Editorial de la Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. pp. 305–319.
  12. ↑ Belinky, Alejandra (2010). "Devoción al Gauchito Gil en Ciudad de Rosario y Gran Rosario. Un Análisis de los Aportes desde los Estudios Cuantitativos a una Perspectiva Cualitativa. Nuevos Problemas, Nuevos Desafíos" [Devotion to Gauchito Gil in the city of Rosario and Greater Rosario: an analysis of contributions from quantitative studies to a qualitative perspective. New problems, new challenges]. Sociedad y Religión: Sociología, Antropología e Historia de la Religión en el Cono Sur. XX (32–33): 220–241.
  13. ↑ La Vega, Darío (January 13, 2015). "Tres santuarios del Gauchito Gil en el conurbano" [Three Gauchito Gil sanctuaries in the suburbs]. DIVERSA. Red de estudios de la diversidad religiosa en Argentina. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Outlaw saint rides on for pilgrims wanting miracles". NZ Herald News. 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  15. ↑ "Vigilia con lluvia para la celebración del Gauchito Gil en Corrientes" [Rainy vigil for the celebration of Gauchito Gil in Corrientes]. Archived from the original on 2023-11-20. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  16. ↑ "¿Acompaña la Iglesia el fervor por el Gauchito Gil?" [Does the Church accompany the fervor for Gauchito Gil?]. 9 January 2015.
  17. ↑ CELAM. "Documento de Puebla 444" [Puebla Document 444] (PDF) (in Spanish).
  18. 1 2 Bianchi, Enrique Ciro (2016). "La devoción al Gaucho Antonio Gil: reflexión teológico pastoral (2da parte)" [Devotion to Gaucho Antonio Gil: Theological-Pastoral Reflection (Part 2)]. Vida pastoral (in Spanish) (350).
  19. ↑ Bianchi, Enrique Ciro (2016). "La devoción al Gaucho Antonio Gil: reflexión teológico pastoral (1ra parte)" [Devotion to Gaucho Antonio Gil: Theological-Pastoral Reflection (Part 1)]. Vida pastoral (in Spanish) (349). Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  20. ↑ "Las ocho razones: La Iglesia afirmó que el culto a la "San La Muerte" es incompatible con la fe católica" [Eight reasons: The Church stated that devotion to “San La Muerte” is incompatible with the Catholic faith]. #LaDos (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  21. ↑ "Los consejos del Papa sobre la devoción al Gauchito Gil" [The Pope's advice on devotion to Gauchito Gil]. Aleteia (in Spanish). 9 October 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  22. ↑ "El "ABC" del Papa para acompañar a los peregrinos al Gauchito Gil" [The Pope's “ABC” for accompanying pilgrims to Gauchito Gil]. valoresreligiosos.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  23. ↑ ""Novena a la Cruz", recordando a Antonio Gil y los difuntos" ["Novena to the Cross", remembering Antonio Gil and the deceased]. AICA (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2021.
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