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For the first time he met a Pope, Mexican Craftsman Hilario Hernandez couldn’t believe his luck. he did not travel to Vatican As a guest, but also as a custodian of the delicate porcelain piece he made as a gift benedict xvi,
“No one really planned on taking me with them,” Hernandez said. “But a tree of life Can break easily, so I took the opportunity to bring it myself.”
The work he commissioned for the Pope in 2008 is a renowned expression of Mexican craftsmanship.
Known as the Tree of Life, it belongs to a tradition that developed in the hands of artisans in the mid-20th century and is considered a symbol of identity in Hernández’s hometown.
In Metepec, where he lives and runs a family workshop about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City, dozens of artisans dedicate themselves to making Tree Of life. Their designs vary, but most share a similar form: the Biblical scene of Genesis, with Adam and Eve at the center, separated by a tree trunk and a coiled snake.
“The tree allows you to express whatever you want,” said Carolina Ramirez, guide at the Clay Museum of Metepec. “It’s a source of pride for us, because it has become part of the city’s identity and charm.”
The museum holds an annual contest that encourages artisans from all over Mexico to submit their versions of the tree. It now contains over 300 pieces and a permanent selection of them is on display.
In addition to Adam and Eve, the trees display a variety of figures such as catrinas – skeletal female figures that have become a symbol of Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations – and Xoloitzcuintles, hairless dogs sacred to the ancient Nahua people.
“The theme of a tree is taken from our culture and traditions,” Ramirez said. “And for the people who buy them, they become a source of identity.”
heritage in soil
Hernandez’s ancestors have made clay pies for as long as he can remember. His grandfather, now 103 years old, still makes pottery in Metepec.
“We are the fifth generation of potters and artisans,” said Felipe, one of Hilario’s younger brothers. “Our knowledge is transmitted orally.”
All five siblings trained for technical careers. None practiced these, choosing instead to become full-time artisans.
Hilario – the eldest – became the mentor of his brothers. Their works now rotate between them. While one person shapes the leaves for the trees, another adds or paints them. Everyone is proud of their family’s heritage.
Lewis, now 34, said he has drawn Trees of Life since he was 12. “This workshop was my playground,” he recalled. “What I initially thought was a game later became my job.”
Another local artisan, Cecilio Sánchez, also inherited his father’s skills and set up his own workshop. Now his wife, two children and other relatives work together to create their own tradition.
His technique is known as pigmented clay and involves mixing clay with oxides. “Some fellow artisans add industrial colors to their pieces, but our job is to preserve what the earth gives us,” he said.
Where tradition meets myth
When creating his first tree for the Pope, Hilario pushed his limits as a craftsman.
Using his father’s ancestral wisdom, he baked a 2-meter-long (6.6-foot-long) piece of clay to exactly the right temperature. To transport it, they used 200 rolls of toilet paper to wrap it like a giant mummy and sealed every hollow space.
Then came the design. For six months, he and his family patiently prepared the figures for both sides – a challenge rarely faced in business. One Face told the story of Mexico’s most revered saint; Second, the origin of Metepec’s tree of life.
The details of that history are unclear. Yet experts agree that such trees may have played a role in evangelization after the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.
According to Ramírez, the first artisans to reinterpret them in modern times incorporated elements typical of Metepec. One of them is known as Talanchana, a half-woman, half-serpent figure who, legend has it, once ruled the waters around the city.
“It was thought that her coming out of the water would bring abundance,” Ramirez said. “For our ancestors, the gods were tied to fire, water, and nature.”
However, the Tlanchana figures in Hernandez’s Trees of Life no longer resemble snakes. Given that the reptile is considered a representation of evil, temptation, and death in the Catholic worldview, its tail was changed. In her current form as a mermaid, she is perhaps the most iconic symbol of Metepec, along with the tree of life.
trust in his hand
Hilario keeps a special frame at his workplace: a photograph taken from the day he met the Pope for the second time.
On that occasion he did not travel to the Vatican. In 2015, a stranger knocked on his door and asked him to make another Tree of Life – this time, for another Pope. Francis was soon to visit Mexico and the President wanted the artisan to present him a masterpiece.
Hilario’s new assignment involved three months of hard, family-oriented work. Francis’ tree will not be as tall as the one built for Benedict. But the design presented its own challenges, as it was to depict the life of the Pope.
The craftsman visited nearby churches, talked to priests and read as much as he could. In February 2016, when he met the Pope inside Mexico’s presidential palace, he realized he still had a lot to learn.
“Finally he explained his tree to me,” he said. “And he added: ‘I know you didn’t do this on your own, so God bless your family and your hands.'”
This meeting had a life-changing effect on him. It made him think about his purpose in life and confirmed his calling towards his art.
“Building the Tree of Life is a commitment,” he said. “It’s how we make a living, but it’s also how we keep our culture alive.”
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Associated Press religion coverage is supported by the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. AP is solely responsible for this content.