Folk Saints

As we drove down to the Patagonian coast to see penguins, we passed several shrines for folk saints. Two saints in particular were the most popular.

The first is called “La Difunta Correa.” Our guide said she many people in both Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay revere her.

The legend surrounding La Difunta dates back to the 1840s, when a woman perished from thirst in the desert. Even after death, her toddler survived because he continued nursing from her, and this was considered miraculous.

To this day, people pay respects to La Difunta Correa by saying prayers and leaving offerings such as coins, rosaries, water, and even bottles of milk at her roadside shrines.

The one in my photos was at a gas station in Trelew. It’s pretty fancy, but there are smaller ones dotting the landscape all over Patagonia.

The other Patagonian folk saint I saw shrines for is Gauchito Gil. His shrines feature red banners and sometimes even paintings of Gauchito Gil himself, a rugged Argentinian cowboy with flowing black hair.

I didn’t learn the full story for Gauchito Gil, but his legend also dates back to the 1800s. People pray to Gauchito Gil for good luck, health, and more.Read more