The Sanctuary of Gauchito Gil is dedicated to the folk saint known as Gauchito Gil. Gauchito Gil is the most infamous of Argentina’s folk saints, or Santos Populares. You’ll see shrines to him, draped in red scarfs, all over the country.

He’s a legend, offering hope to the marginalized and the suffering. This is the largest shrine to him in the city (that I know of) and is worth a look.

The Legend:

Antonio Mamerto Gil Núñez was born in the 1840’s in what is currently the town of Mercedes, Corrientes. He was a poor ranch hand who fell in love with a wealthy widow, Estrella Diaz Miraflores, the owner of the ranch.

Her brothers and the head of the local police (who was also pursuing Miraflores) tried to kill him, framing him for robbery. To escape, he enlisted in the army to fight in the Paraguayan War, later returning as a hero.

Unfortunately, he was forcibly re-enlisted, this time to fight in the Argentine Civil War.

It wasn’t long before he deserted, refusing to fight in a war pitting brother against brother. Gauchito Gil lived as an outlaw, slowly building a reputation as a Robin Hood figure by protecting the poor and suffering.

He was finally discovered by local police on January 8, 1878. Colonel Velázquez and his men tortured him before stringing him up by his feet from the branches of an Algarrobo tree. Right as the executioner sergeant was about to kill him, Gauchito Gil said to the head of police that although he would kill him now, a letter would be waiting for him in Mercedes.

The letter would contain his pardon he said, continuing: “In the letter, they will also tell you that your son is dying of a strange illness.

If you pray and beg me to save your child, I promise you that he will live. If not, he will die.” The sergeant scoffed and slit his throat. When he returned to Mercedes, he found the letter of pardon waiting.

Just as predicted, the letter also contained news that his son was deathly ill.

Frightened, he prayed to Gauchito Gil, begging him to save his son. The next day, his son was inexplicably cured.