Gauchito Gil Sanctuary, Selling souvenirs of Gauchito Gil

The Gauchito Gil is a religious figure, a case of popular devotion in Argentina. Its historical basis is in the person of gaucho Antonio Mamertus Gil Nunez, from whom little is known with certainty. The most popular version of his life is the following: Antonio Gil was a gaucho farm worker, worshiper of "Saint Death", who had an affair with a widow with lots of money. This earned him the hatred of the brothers of the widow and the local police chief, who had courted the same woman. Given the danger, Gil left the area and enlisted to fight in the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870) against Paraguay. After returning, he was recruited by the Autonomous Party to fight in the civil war of the Corrientes region against the opposition Liberal Party, but deserted. Since desertion was a crime, he was captured, he was hung in a tree and killed by a cut throat. Gil told his executioner who should pray in the name of Gil for the life of his son, who was very ill, the executioner did and her son miraculously healed. He buried Gil appropriate way, and people who heard about the miracle built a shrine which has been extended until today.