San Fandila

This 19th century folk retablo from Mexico represents San Fandila, a Spanish priest beheaded for refutation of Islam. According to popular belief, years after his execution, in a small Spanish village near Cordoba, Spain, thunderstorms and hail battered the crop fields. On September 13, San Fandila's feast day, a local farmer erected a cross with the saint's name inscribed upon it. The storms subsided and from that time on hail storms no longer fell in that region.  San Fandila is venerated for protection against hail storms and very by field croppers. The inscription along the lower edge can be loosely translated as follows:

'San Fandila Martir - Protector de los siminteras'

or

'Saint Fandila Martyr - Protector of those who sew wheat' (hence the chaff of wheat in his hand). 

Dimensions: 14 inches vertical x 10 inches horizontal. 

Condition: minor paint loss and pitting. 

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