MEXICO CITY, June 16 : In Mexico City thousands of fans are making the pilgrimage to the capital's cathedral to pray to a baby Jesus dressed in a Mexican soccer kit, asking for World Cup victory.
The tradition dates back to 1970, when Mexico first hosted the tournament, but this year a 'Soccer baby Jesus' has been placed in the country's main cathedral, leading to many more visiting fans paying homage and asking for a miracle.
In Mexico, it is common for figures of the baby Jesus to be dressed in different outfits, including as a pilgrim to grant protection to travellers or as a doctor for good health.
The dressing of the baby Jesus in a Mexico soccer outfit started at the San Miguel Arcangel church in a poor area of the city 55 years ago. This year, a new parish priest banned the practice on the basis it was disrespectful.
Amid growing outrage, and fear among some fans that it might impact the team's performance, Mexico City's Metropolitan Cathedral decided to display a baby Jesus in the soccer shirt of 'El Tri.'
"It's the first time it's been here in the cathedral... the people themselves asked for it," Canon Manuel Corral told Reuters.
Corral said the faithful seeking a bit of extra World Cup edge were not only limited to Mexico fans.
"Today, for example, we have Colombians here saying their prayers to ask for victory," he said on Tuesday, the day before Colombia play Uzbekistan at the Azteca stadium.
The figure will remain on display in the atrium and in various parts of the cathedral until the end of the tournament, regardless of Mexico's performance, and will wear one of the national team's kits.
On Tuesday, the baby Jesus wore a white jersey and green shorts similar to the kit co-hosts Mexico will wear in their match on Thursday in Guadalajara against South Korea.
Fans from Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Mexico and other countries posed in front of the figure for photos or to ask for victory for their national teams.
Some worshippers were not amused, however.
Eleazar Martinez, a Mexican fan who arrived at the church shortly before noon, said: "As a Catholic it's very strange for me to see the baby Jesus dressed like that. I don't really agree with it."
(Report by Lizbeth Díaz; editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Clare Fallon)
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