Edible Nashville

Alice of Santo Niño De Atocha Tortíllería

• Photo by Jenn Davis

  Alice and husband John lived in Chicago 67 years before moving to Nashville. Alice still wears late husband John's Chicago Bears coat.

• Photo by Jenn Davis

  Santo Nino do Atocha: In 711, the Moors ruled over much of Spain, oppressing Catholic Spaniards. When they invaded the town of Atocha, they took many Catholic men captive and denied their prisoners food and water. Only children under the age of 12 were allowed to bring sustenance to those detained. So, those in jail never got fed unless they had children who could come and feed them. Families gathered outside of where they were held, begging people’s children to bring their loved ones food. The women of the town appealed to Our Lady of Atocha, praying for a way to feed their husbands, brothers, and sons. All of a sudden a little boy appeared in Atocha, carrying a basket of food and gourd of water. He fed all those who were imprisoned, and, miraculously, his basket and gourd always remained full. This child became known as Santo Niño de Atocha.