It is Maximinio Vertiz’ busy season. Dozens of beloved but worn and broken baby Jesus figurines will pass through this 49-year-old craftsman’s hands, restoring them in time for their annual pilgrimage to church for a Candlemas blessing.
Holding a putty knife with a steady hand, Vertiz went about this meticulous task on a day earlier this month. He touched up the sacred statue’s eyes as he tuned out the bustling downtown Mexico City street market where he worked. More than 20 other figurines lay on his worktable awaiting his repairs.
They are typically handled with care, but accidents happen. Some are dropped or cracked while being dressed up. Others need their paint touched up or their missing fingers replaced. Many more come wrapped in cloths, broken into pieces. The larger the figure, the easier it is to repair. It can take Vertiz anywhere from 30 minutes to fix a busted 16-inch-tall statue or up to 3 hours for a tiny one. The cost ranges from $5 to $12 per piece.
“It is necessary to keep the effigy in good condition, taking care of it so that it does not break, or repairing it when necessary, thus reinforcing its symbolic effectiveness,” Perdigón writes. “The sculpture ... represents the presence of God at home as he becomes part of the family. He is a son in the hands of the adoptive mother.”
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