The most astute and talented curandero that I know is don Martin Martinez, who is carrying on a long tradition in his family, who have been curanderos for generations. His mother was a neighbor of el Niņo Fidencio and she knew him well, and she was easily the most famous curandera around here when she was still alive, but don Martin keeps her practice alive. He always cures with a cross. He makes the sign of the cross all over the body of his patient while reciting a number of prayers. Among these are the famous “Doce Verdades del Mundo”, which it used to be that you could buy this in most hierberias, but the Church pronounced against it, so they stopped printing them. In any event, the version that people use is not that which is in this printed novena. I will place the text below here, which is from a tape recording I made of don Martin's curing prayers in 1996, which I translated into English. If anyone wants the original Spanish version, write to me and I will give it to you.

In order to cure a person from a spell, by the method don Martin uses, you must pass the cross all about their body in a crossing motion while reciting prayers, the Doce Verdades being the most important. You must say to the patient, at intervals, “Spirit of (patient's name) come and do not stay”, at which the patient replies “I come”. Each time you do this, do it four times in a row, and then ask the patient to turn around, and keep reciting and passing the cross over her/his body. After the cure is complete, you must annoint the head of the patient with holy water mixed with perfume, and, of course, the best perfume to use for this is Perfume de Siete Machos, the favorite of all Mexican curanderos and curanderas.

The Doce Verdades del Mundo

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me one, one is the Holy House of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me two, two are the Tablets of Moses, one is the Holy House of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me three, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the holy house of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me four, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the holy house of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me five, five wounds, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the Holy House of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me six, six candelabrums, five wounds, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the holy house of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me seven, seven joys, six candelabrums, five wounds, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the Holy House of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me eight, eight choruses, seven joys, six candelabrums, five wounds, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the Holy House of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me nine, nine months, eight choruses, seven joys, six candelabrums, five wounds, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the Holy House of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me ten, ten commandments, nine months, eight choruses, seven joys, six candelabrums, five wounds, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the holy house of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me eleven, eleven thousand virgins, ten commandments, nine months, eight choruses, seven joys, six candelabrums, five wounds, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the Holy House of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me twelve, twelve apostles, eleven thousand virgins, ten commandments, nine months, eight choruses, seven joys, six candelabrums, five wounds, four Gospels, three Trinities, two tablets of Moses, one is the holy house of Jerusalem where Thou dost live and rein forever. Amen.

Of the twelve truths of the world brother well I want that thou mayest tell me thirteen, thirteen rays of the sun conduct the witches and the sorcerers to the hells and thus may it be God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Small 6 inch cross

Large 9 inch cross

From Fausto's Art Gallery in Ojinaga, Chihuahua.

Shipped from Presidio, Texas, USA