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Where is the Cross?

The most popular devotion in Colombia today is that of El Divino Niño. Our Basilian missions in Bogota are near the shrine, and our priests report that thousands attend the Masses held there every hour each weekend. The devotion has spread worldwide and Mother Angelica of EWTN fame built the new shrine in Hanceville, Alabama in El Nino’s honor after visiting Colombia in 1995. She seemed to feel that the image spoke to her, asking her to build him a new temple. 

El Divino Niño is a beautiful little image of the Christ child, dressed in a pink tunic, with a happy smile on his face and with his arms thrown up as if he is waiting for a hug. Few, though, are aware that originally the sculpture showed the Divine Child attached to a cross!

When the Salesian priest Father Giovanni Battista del Rizzo (1882-1957) came to Colombia as a missionary in the 1930's, he had a great devotion to the infancy of Our Lord. Sent to an impoverished area of Bogota, he wanted to bring the love and the hope of the Incarnate Word to the people. In an antique store, he found a beautiful statue of the Christ Child, smiling, with his little hands held out, and backed with a cross. In his usual joking manner, Father Rizzo said, “What! So little and already you want to crucify him? Take off that cross and I will take it.” After having an artist place the words “Yo Reinaré” (I will reign) at the base of the statue, Father Rizzo took the little image with him back to his poor barrio.

Here he began to preach to the people about the favors the Christ Child does for those who have faith and who help the poor. He built a small chapel in honor of the Divine Child and soon miracles and prodigies began to be reported. The devotion increased and began to spread. The people came first from neighboring barrios and then from the city. The government had to complete the road into the barrio because so many busses began to come, bringing people to pray to the Holy child and attend the masses there.

Father Rizzo constantly preached a love for the poor and recommended that when asking the Holy Child for favors people should promise to give aid to those less fortunate. He also told people that when their prayers were answered they should tell others about the Holy Child. The cornerstone of the devotion, however, is faith. He often said, “Have faith and you will see miracles.”

In addition to heeding Father Rizzo’s wise advice, when we look at the beautiful image of El Divino Niño, we can also remember the cross to which it was once attached. It was through the cross and Christ’s glorious resurrection that we gain the hope of Heaven. We should also recall the words on the base of the image – “I will reign!” Through our faith and charity we are helping to bring about Christ’s reign on this earth as we wait in hope for entrance to the next world.