Cleansed in the dirt
A boy with a mud-stained face waits to be helped out of a mucky pool. He might look uncomfortable, but he is not there by accident.
Rather, the boy is one of many pilgrims who have come to the Mexican town of Espinazo to visit the tomb of El Nino Fidencio, a faith healer who practiced in the 1920s and 30s. Groups of his followers bathe in the muddy water, which is supposed to have healing properties.
A young follower whispers in the ear of a medium before being bathed in mud. When pilgrims come to the pool, a medium is chosen to go into a trance and channel the spirit of the dead Fidencio, supposedly taking on his miraculous healing abilities.
A woman douses a boy's head with the muddy water, which is thought to have healing properties.
The medium pours the water over a believer's head. At the end of the ritual, mediums themselves are also immersed in the pool in order to be cured of their ills.
A medium prays with her hand on the forehead of a girl soaked in dirt.
Another medium channelling the spirit of Fidencio blesses others as they stand in the muddy water.
Mud runs down the legs of a believer leaving the pool.
The hands and face of a follower are stained black from the dirt.
Penitents crawl on their knees into the temple of El Nino Fidencio, prostrating themselves in hopes of being cured.
A group of penitents shuffle into the temple on their backs.
Fabiola Lopez de la Fuente (centre), a relation of El Nino Fidencio, welcomes penitents at the temple.
Penitents touch a photograph of the healer on his deathbed.
A young medium blesses a penitent's candle inside the temple.
