Difunta Correa Shrine #1
by John Shaw
Title
Difunta Correa Shrine #1
Artist
John Shaw
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Difunta Correa shrine, near Puerto Natales, Chile. According to popular legend, La Difunta Correa was a woman whose husband was forcibly recruited around the year 1840, during the Argentine civil wars. When he became sick, she attempted to reach him, following tracks through the desert of San Juan Province. When her supplies ran out, she died. Her body was found days later by gauchos that were driving cattle through, and to their astonishment found the baby still alive, feeding from the deceased woman's "miraculously" ever-full breast. She has become an unofficial popular saint, not really recognized by the Catholic Church. Her devout followers believe her to perform miracles and intercede for the living. Cattle keepers first, then truck drivers, disseminated the figure of the Difunta, creating small altars throughout the country. They there leave bottles of water as votive offerings, "to calm her eternal thirst."
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April 14th, 2014
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