MEXICO CITY (AP) — It is Maximinio Vertiz’ busy season. Dozens of beloved but worn and broken baby Jesus figurines will pass through this 49-year-old craftsman’s hands, restoring them in time for their annual pilgrimage to church for a Candlemas blessing.
Holding a putty knife with a steady hand, Vertiz went about this meticulous task on a day earlier this month. He touched up the sacred statue’s eyes as he tuned out the bustling downtown Mexico City street market where he worked. More than 20 other figurines lay on his worktable awaiting his repairs . . .
