By Tara Haelle
For Reporting Texas
One Sunday a month, in a small house in Fort Worth, Texas, the bigger-than-life spirit of a man known for his childlike demeanor comes to visit a devoted congregation. So believe the “fidencistas” who hear mass at the home of Criselda Valencia, a “materia” who channels the spirit of famed folk healer El Niño Fidencio.
On a typical Sunday, following the service, Valencia “assists” the beloved El Niño in continuing the work he started in a small Mexican town almost a century ago. Like dozens of other materias throughout Mexico and the southern U.S., she believes that the spirit of El Niño uses her body to continue healing the physical, mental and spiritual ailments of those who seek El Niño’s help.
“I don’t remember things when the Niño comes,” Valencia said during a recent phone conversation. “I just feel like I’m in the other place, some place, or sometimes I come back like I was asleep and I don’t know nothing. The people tell me what the Niño says.”
Born as José de Jesús Fidencio Constantino Síntora in Guanahuato, Mexico in 1898, El Niño Fidencio is perhaps Mexico’s most famous curandero, or faith healer. After he came to Espinazo, Mexico in 1925, he spent the rest of his life tending to the thousands of people who journeyed to see him, sometimes reportedly sleeping only three hours a night because the pilgrims kept him so busy, according to Mexican anthropologist Raúl Cadena. His high-pitched voice and boyish appearance led to the moniker “El Niño,” which means “the boy” in Spanish.
El Niño never charged for his services, which ranged from prescribing herbs for simple illnesses and pulling teeth or removing gall stones – reportedly painlessly yet without anesthesia – to curing cancer, paralysis, muteness or depression. His fame as a healer became so widespread that even Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles visited him for six hours in 1928. After El Niño’s mysterious death in 1938 – some believe from exhaustion, others from murder – his popularity escalated so rapidly that he became known as a folk saint to the thousands of “fidencistas” who believed in his divine power.
Although fidencistas, like El Niño himself, are Roman Catholic, the Church does not recognize El Niño as a saint or miracle healer. In fact, Cadena writes that a bishop reportedly met with El Niño in 1936 to request that he stop administering the sacraments of the Church because he was not ordained. El Niño complied briefly – and then resumed administering sacraments.
Today, many of the materias who believe they channel El Niño’s spirit perform their services in conjunction with a Sunday mass. At Valencia’s house, Padre Jacinto Ramos conducts a mass, after which members of the congregation pray for El Niño’s spirit to arrive. Once they believe he has come into Valencia’s body, she dons a white robe and red hat, her voice becomes high-pitched and her demeanor changes significantly. She then spends the rest of the day serving the dozens who come to the home for help with headaches, getting a promotion at work, conceiving a child, insomnia, and more serious conditions. Criselda told this reporter during one Sunday ceremony about a man whose tumor went away after asking for El Niño’s blessing.
It’s as difficult to characterize the belief in El Niño as it is to get firm details about the man himself. Cadena has called it a cult or a Catholic sect. Others, including those who trek each year to Espinazo in March and October – the anniversary months of El Niño’s death, respectively – to celebrate the folk saint’s life and seek his healing powers, do not put a name to it. To them the man is simply El Niño, a mystery and a miracle.
I had been going to his healing meetings. I could not conceive but yet he said I would since I had
become like sterile and he said when you least expect it you will have a baby.. I had a baby girl which
I wanted to have my pair after eight years for which I never lost faith or gave up.
To my astonishment I did not know of his passing day till last year that my daughter was born on the
18th of October and his passing was on the 19th of the same month. I was in shock
started to cry and Cried out Thank you Ninito Fidencio for because of you I have my daughter.
My comadre a friend of mine had lost a baby and with faith also conceived and had a son too.
She had tried to conceive and till she went with his healing she had her second a baby.
Thank you Thank you… with lots of prayer and thru FAITH he answered our prayers.
what is the Nino Fidencio address in Ft Worth or do you know one in dallas
please may some one email me the number for the la materia my email address is monicaxpdll@yahoo.com i will greatly appreciate it
how can i go see the Nino fidencio in Austin Texas. Please help me!!!!!! Thanks
Maria, I know of a materia in Dallas. I can only tell you that you contact her on Facebook. Contact me at jrlilman138292@yahoo.com
por fabor contestarme
There is a very nice Nino Fidencio in San Antonio off Kentucky Ave. If anyone is interested please ask for more information.
I know of el Nino Fidencio in San Antonio also Marc!
i would like for u to pray for me my children and my husband siento q todo se me a bienido en sima desde q se me murio mi madre nose se si me puedo commumicar por telepono por fabor yo un par de veses con el nino fidencio aque donde vivo yo en fresno ca… la sra vivia en parliar ca pero ya fallecio entonces pues ya no ay quen como el nino q cure la jente pero si por favor se puede comunicar se lo agradesco muncho por favor mi numero de telephono es (559)493-5563 ooh mi email es…….(mnava129@yahoo.com) gracias hope to hear from u soon i really need prayers very much
Marc, can you please send me the information for El Nino Fidencio in San Antonio.
Marc, can you please send me the information for El Nino Fidencio in San Antonio. You can send to ecain1964@gmail.com
I would like to know more about the power of El Niño Fidencio. Can you please send me your phone number to my email please. Topo71carranza@yahoo.com
Mark can you please send info on El Nimo in san antonio tx,please rollockc@aol.com
Is there a niño fidencio close to Columbus texas
I would like the address for. El nino fidencio from San Antonio I live close to it I used to go to Mexico a lot but now I’m afraid to go for what’s going on please I need it … I’ll be waiting for my answer.
I would like to visit this person in san antonio… I have a family member ,who really needs help
Could Someone please provide me with the information to the place in Forth Worth or San Antonio pref the one in Forth Worth. Please Email and further information to griz530@gmail.com, thannks
Would like to know if there is someone who heals through niño fidencio close to Columbus Texas