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Holy Child of Atocha Spiritual Salt

Spanish name: Sal Espiritual Santo Niño de Atocha

For a family waiting on someone in prison or far from home

Item: SL-003
Size: 1.5 oz (42 g) bag
Intention: Saints & Devotion, Court & Justice

Note. For spiritual use and sold as a curio and novelty only. No specific result is claimed or guaranteed.

Ingredients: Sea Salt, Lavender, Fragrance, FD&C Blue No. 1.

Colored and scented; not a food. Keep out of reach of children. Keep dry.

About this salt

The Holy Child of Atocha, the Santo Niño de Atocha, is the Christ Child as a pilgrim, with a basket of bread and a gourd of water. The devotion goes back to Atocha in Spain, where a child is said to have brought food and water to prisoners when no one else could. Families keep this salt while they wait: for a son in jail, a husband on the road north, a daughter working in another country, anyone lost or far from home.

In the home, the salt goes on his altar. Many set a small dish of it beside his image, next to the glass of water and the bread they leave for him, and sprinkle a little at the front door for the day the person comes back through it. Devotees say he walks out at night to help, and his little shoes get worn down, so families bring him new ones.

The salt is changed each week, when the water and bread are changed, and the old salt is swept out the front door. When the one you prayed for is home, sweep the doorway clean and light a white candle in thanks. His great shrine is at Plateros, near Fresnillo in Zacatecas, where pilgrims go to keep their promises. His candles are blue and white.

Ways to use

Beside his image: Set a small dish of salt next to his statue, with the glass of water and the bread. Change all three together each week.
At the front door: Sprinkle a little at the doorway and ask the Santo Niño to guide the person back home through it.
With a written request: Write the person's name and where they are on a slip of paper. Keep it under his candle with the dish of salt beside it.
The day they return: Sweep the doorway out to the street and light a white candle. If you promised him new shoes, bring them.

Goes with

Put a few drops of Holy Child of Atocha oil on a blue or white candle beside the dish of salt. When a loved one is waiting on a court date, many families light a second candle with Just Judge, and Guardian Angel is for the one on the road.