It was an extraordinary Sunday on Mexico City’s renowned Xochimilco canals. This time, the colorful “trajineras,” typically filled with tourists and locals enjoying the tranquil waters, carried a different kind of passenger—the relic of St. Jude Thaddeus, one of Jesus’ 12 apostles and the patron saint of impossible causes.
The wooden figure, enclosing a fragment of St. Jude’s arm in a glass case, was part of a month-long visit to Mexico. Nearly 100 million Catholics in the country view this as a significant event. The relic had arrived in Mexico in late July after its inaugural tour in the United States, marking its first journey outside of Rome. Devotees have the opportunity to pay their respects in a dozen parishes across Mexico until August 28.
On August 11, 2024, devotees congregated to witness the relic as it glided through the serene canals of Xochimilco. People lined up eagerly to board the trajineras escorting the sacred artifact. Iris Guadalupe Hernández, 36, was among those waiting. Hernández recounted a deeply personal family tradition of devotion. Her mother, after struggling with miscarriages, implored St. Jude for a miracle. When she successfully bore Hernández and her siblings, she committed to spreading the saint’s word, a promise the family has kept ever since.
Devotion to St. Jude is widespread in Mexico, reaching a fervent peak every October 28 at the San Hipólito church in Mexico City, his official feast day. St. Jude is among the most venerated figures in the country, following Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Rev. Jesús Alejandro Contreras, a priest from Xochimilco’s diocese, emphasized the deep-rooted reverence for St. Jude among the city’s humble residents. For many, St. Jude represents hope and intercession for challenging circumstances. Contreras, who participated in the hour-long procession through the canals, spoke of the profound connection believers feel when close to the relic—describing it as an opportunity to “come into contact with the Lord.”
As the procession began at 8 a.m., parishioners welcomed the relic with clapping and traditional Mexican songs performed by local musicians. Dozens of nearby boats joined the escort, while hundreds more awaited the relic’s arrival at the canal’s end. From there, a procession continued on foot to Xochimilco’s cathedral.
The Xochimilco community is also known for its devotion to the “Niñopa,” a revered wooden figure of a baby with a history dating back approximately 450 years. Arturo Espinosa, 52, illustrated the shared faith in Xochimilco, where the Niñopa and other religious emblems take significant roles in local celebrations.
The vibrant procession featured “comparsas,” groups of dancers dedicated to the infant Jesus. Dressed in velvet robes, ornate hats, and masks representing old men—a satirical nod to Spanish conquerors—they marched towards the cathedral. Among them was Francisco García, 33, who sought divine intervention for his mother’s upcoming surgery. Having first encountered the relic in the Zocalo upon its arrival in Mexico City, García felt an emotional connection that drew him to this event.
The relic remained on display in an oratory beside Xochimilco’s cathedral until nightfall. Its journey through central Mexican churches was set to resume on Monday, with its departure from the country scheduled for late August.
