Gaucho Gil
12/14/07

PRAYER TO THE
 GAUCHITO ANTONIO GIL  

Oh! Gauchito Gil, I ask you humbly in an interval before God.  The miracle that I ask you, and I promise you that I complied with my promise and before God you are here to see, and I offered you my faithful gratitude and demonstration of faith in God and in you Gauchito Gil. ...Amen ... Mercedes 

Many people believe that they can pray to Gaucho Gil and he will intercede and persuade God to grant them favors.  He takes the place of Jesus for them.  The story goes that the Argentine cowboy, Gaucho Gil, was captured in 1875 and hung from the tree that once stood at this spot. This happened after he had deserted military duties that he thought to be wrong.

Many accounts circulate about the favors granted by Gaucho Gil. Plaques abound at the shrine expressing gratitude to Gaucho Gil.  License plates on the wall are from people who attribute the gaucho with the good fortune of acquiring a new car or perhaps being saved from a bad car wreck. The wedding dresses hanging from the ceiling are a thank offering to Gaucho Gil for a good marriage.

Gaucho Gil Translation

LIFE AND DEATH OF THE MIRACLE GAUCHO ANTONIO GIL

There are abundant stories about the life and death of the Gaucho Antonio Gil because the tradition of the place abounds in legends and is profuse as for the creativity on the part of the poets.

Antonio Gil was one of the so many peasants that populated the Pay Ubre.  His true name was Antonio Mamerto Gil Nuñez.  It occured in the year 1876 during the civil fights among liberals and autonomists.  A great deal more tension was caused by the Chief of the Department of Mercy, Colonel Juan Zalazar (liberalex-combatant of the War with the Paraguay) when he decided to call the peasants of the place for fights against the autonomists, among them Antonio Gil.

The  troops left  the place of the encampment, but soon Gil decided to dessert because in the previous night he  had a dream in which appeared an Angel of the Lord that told him: “No pour the blood of your kin (fellow being)”.  When the troops neared the Batel,  Colonel Zalazar was informed that the conflict had been solved, then they returned, but the desertion was communicated  to the Colonel.  Zalazar ordered his capture since his action of desserting was a negative example for the behavior of the troops and for such motive should be punished. The detail charged with capture had knowledge that the gaucho frequented the dwelling of a guaina (young girl) which was located in the fork of the routes that at present unites the cities Paso de los Libres with CuruzúCuatiá (Route 123 and 119).

 There was found the fugitive.  After the capture he was to be sent to Goya to be sentenced.  Generally the desserters did not arrive at the destination, but were executed in the road.  When the General Velázquez was informed of what could occur, he asked the Colonel Zalazar that he forgive Gil, but the pardon arrived in the afternoon because it was 8 KM  to Mercedes.

Before the pardon arrived, Antonio Gil was hung from a breakax tree by his feet and beheaded with his own knife on January 8, 1878.  Before his execution, the Gil said: “Your son is dying, but as he is innocent, I am going to ask the Lord that this same night he resurrect him, although I know that you are going to kill me and my pardon is on its way. Upon arriving at his house, the Sergeant was told what Gaucho Gil said before his death.  The Sergeant went to the trunk of a ñandubay  tree and made a cross and he carried it on his shoulder to the place of the execution.

Because of that fact, the local people returned to venerate him to believe in their miracles, carrying him candles  and red flags of color by the innocent blood spilled. A rancher nearby  the place where the cross was found of Gil was filled with fear because his field was set on fire.  He asked the police to  transfer the cross to the cemetery.  This was carried out but as of that moment,  problems began; i.e.,  dying cattle and their heath decayed. One day before the dawn awoke exalted, left to the patio and there was found with the image of Antonio Gil.  They asked that the cross be returned to the place where was it was found previously. The next day the rancher brought it and sent to build a small chapel to protect the candles of the wind. With it occurred more devotion of the local people.

Each year upon approaching the date, to emphasize the popular enthusiasm that is manifested with diverse form, a huge celebration occurs.  January 8, “Mercedes is of the party”.  In the early hours, in every  part of the city is a caravan where the riders light up their original clothes and they exhibit implements of silver, etc.  They add the same to the  cars and bicycles. Also thousands of persons go walking. They all have flags with phrases of gratitude to Gaucho Gil.

Also they arrive at the  sanctuary from distinct points of our country and of countries bordering expressing their gratitude praying, singing and dancing. Antonio Gil personage is so venerated by a number of persons  placing faith n him.  The church cannot canonize him because there is no evidence that he ever was a member of the church.