Saint: Cristo Crucificado con Angel /Christ Crucified with Angel

Juan Miguel Herrera, New Mexico, circa 1870 Gesso, and water-soluble paint on wood 36” x 28” History Collection NMHM, 2007.32.106

The cup-bearing angel hovering below Christ’s wound catches the blood of Christ in a small chalice. This symbolism expresses his love for humanity and the central importance of the saving blood of Christ for heavenly redemption and eternal life. The three sets of rays emanating from the head of Christ are called tres potencias in Spanish. They are symbolic of the three faculties of the soul: memory, understanding, and will.