EX-VOTO

Ex-votos, or votive paintings serve as both a thank you for a miracle received and as a teaching tool for those who are about to do something crazy dangerous. The first one I ever remember seeing was a painting of a miner having his leg blown off by rock shrapnel while he was jack hammering in a cave.

To this day, I am super careful when jackhammering in caves or around the house.

But seriously, these paintings are wonderful and heartbreaking . If you ever get the chance to see some, you’ll understand that sharing painful stories can be healing.

The Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos:

https://www.facebook.com/SevenStarsTravelMexico/videos/1675317909310475/?v=1675317909310475

More on Ex-votos:

https://hyperallergic.com/334143/the-visualized-violence-and-divine-healing-of-the-ex-voto-painting/