Plateros

Plateros, like so much of surrounding Zacatecas, is a mining town. This has long been nearly forgotten by residents because it's long been the site of religious pilgrimage, often cited as the third most important in Mexico after the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City and San Juan de Los Lagos, in Jalisco. Contemporary visitors arrive for the age old experience - these are the places that invented tourism - if not for the faith. They still have a draw, and decades of experience welcoming visitors, and for that the experience is often quite different. 

The town began as San Demetrio in 1566. It was later renamed for the silver workers themselves in 1621. A first church was dedicated to El Señor de Plateros as according to legend, it was charged with healing powers. In 1789, a second church was founded and it included a gift from a local mining boss. From Spain, he'd imported a statue of Nuestra Señora de Atocha, and Maria de Atocha. The baby Jesus figurine was detachable and this made for an attraction every year on Christmas Eve. Emphasis slowly shifted from the Virgin of Atocha to the Niño de Atocha.

By the 19th century, interest in the Santo Niño de Atocha spread across Zacatecas. The town then had a blue-clad version of the the same figure boy and this came to be called the Niño Azul. It was an old figure of a boy of perhaps ten years old, now performing miracles. Now, Plateros has a famous and very long history of neighborliness with the Huichol community, many of whom live in the surrounding countryside. When some of them converted to Christianity, the legend was set in stone, and pilgrimages took off like never before.  

About 1.5 million faithful still visit the Sanctuary every year. The child is celebrated on December 25, and the entire Christmas season is a little over the top. Zacatecas is cold, too. The Novenario is celebrated from December 16th onwards. Saint Dimitry, is feted on October 8, but the 28th of every month sees a height drawn to some kind of celebration.

Most visitors are going to arrive to Plateros via nearby Fresnillo. It's only about 15 minutes away and will occasionally cast Plateros into the role of important suburb but it's an important city too. From the Zacatecas airport, the entire trip is about 40 minutes, although from the capital region, a bit further south, it can be a half-hour or so longer. There are regular bus services between all of these cities.