Thirteen
days before the
fatal fire, the
Black Christ came to
Bensonhurst.
Or, to be exact, a
reproduction of the
16th century
Guatemalan crucifix
known as El Cristo
Negro was presented
to the pastor of St.
Dominic's Catholic
Church on Bay Ridge
Parkway.
The original was
sculpted in
Guatemala four
centuries ago, after
the bishop granted
peasants in
Esquipulas
permission to have a
crucifix as long as
they paid for it.
The peasants labored
in the fields for
three years as an
artist named Quirio
Catahyo created his
masterpiece. He was
of mixed ancestry,
and some say he
consciously chose a
dark wood. Others
say the wood was
darkened by incense
and candles.
Whatever the cause,
this was a Christ of
color, all the more
sacred for being
financed by the
sweat of the poor.
Every January down
through the
centuries,
Guatemalan pilgrims
by the many
thousands have
gathered in the city
of Esquipulas for
the Feast of the
Black Christ. They
wait long hours for
just a moment before
the figure.
In recent Januarys
in Brooklyn, Juan
Barreno - who would
become one of the
fire's victims - and
others of the
Society of Cristo de
Esquipulas organized
gatherings at St.
Dominic's. A framed
picture of the Black
Christ joined
figures of its
namesake and St.
Anthony in the
vestibule.
At this year's
observance, the Rev.
John Tino was
presented with a
scaled-down
reproduction of the
crucifix of color.
The overflow crowd
retired after Mass
to the church gym
for a party.
A smiling
27-year-old Barreno
was among them. He
had immigrated here
five years ago with
Raymundo Garcia. His
single goal was to
send money home, and
he happily worked as
hard as the peasants
who paid for the
Black Christ
centuries ago.
"He likes work,"
Garcia said. "He
have five children
and a wife."
Then came the
economic crash. Work
became ever more
scarce. He would be
out on a corner with
the other day
laborers at dawn and
wait past noon.
But the Feast of the
Black Christ was
coming, and he
busied himself
helping to organize
this year's
gathering at St.
Dominic's. He seemed
to forget his
troubles during the
party after Mass.
"He's happy because
he taste the food
from Guatemala,"
Garcia said. "Good
party. Big party."
The days ahead
tasted of dust.
Barreno and Garcia
waited in vain for
work for five hours
at 65th St. and 20th
Ave. last Tuesday.
"He told me, 'It's a
bad time. What do I
do?'" Garcia
recalled.
Barreno spoke of
returning to
Guatemala. He still
had not found work
when he called
Garcia on Friday.
"He told me, 'I have
nothing,'" Garcia
recalled. "I told
him, 'Take it easy.
Maybe tomorrow.'"
Early Saturday
morning, earlier
even than when the
day laborers rise, a
monster in human
form set a fire in
Barreno's building.
Barreno died along
with four others
from the land of the
Black Christ.
"What do I do with
my five children?"
Barreno's wife is
said to have
exclaimed when the
news reached her in
Guatemala.
At St. Dominic's
Church yesterday,
the pastor reported
that parishioners
had donated more
than $1,000 toward
returning the bodies
of Barreno and the
others to their
families in
Guatemala.
Nearby stood the
crucifix that was
presented to the
pastor two weeks
ago, on the day the
Black Christ came to
Bensonhurst and Juan
Barreno was so happy
to taste the food of
home.
The Society of
Cristo de Esquipulas
will now be doing
all it can for his
family.
"We have to help,"
Garcia said. "It is
our compañero. Our
friend."
mdaly@nydailynews.com
