Why is the Niño de Atocha featured in Michael Jackson’s Beat It video?

Bear with me, please, gentle readers, as we veer into a subject that would rightly be considered a little, uh, off-topic. You see, The House enjoys a good mystery, particularly one that involves Catholic iconography. So today we are going to look into why a Catholic Saint makes a cameo appearance in a Michael Jackson video.

Michael Jackson’s Beat It video premiered on MTV in March 1983, and it was a sensation at the time. Although director Bob Giraldi has denied it, many believe the video drew inspiration from the Broadway musical West Side Story, a tragic love story set against the backdrop of an epic tale of two warring gangs. (Fun fact: one of the first lines of dialogue in the film version of West Side Story is "Beat it!”)

According to an IMDB plot summary (which is actually taken from Wikipedia):

“The video opens with the news of a fight circulating at a diner. This scene repeats itself at a pool hall, where gang members arrive via foot, forklift, and out of sewers, while the video's titular song begins to play. The camera cuts to a scene of Jackson lying on a bed, revealing he's the one singing contemplating the senseless violence. The singer notices rival gangs and leaves. Michael Jackson dons a red leather J. Parks brand jacket, and dances his way towards the fight through the diner and pool hall. A knife fight is taking place between the two gang leaders in a warehouse. They dance battle for an interlude of music until MJ arrives; the singer breaks up the fight and launches into a dance routine. The video ends with the gang members joining him in the dance, agreeing that violence is not the solution to their problems.”

Let’s zoom in on the part above, where Jackson is “lying on a bed.” Michael is alone in a sparsely decorated and non-descript bedroom. Suddenly he stands and over his left shoulder, there is a single image hanging on the beige wall. It’s out of focus, but eagle-eyed viewers have confirmed that it is indeed the Niño de Atocha.

The Legend of Santo Niño de Atocha

Santo Niño de Atocha is revered as the patron saint of Spain, Mexico, and those who are wrongfully imprisoned. He is also known for rescuing people from danger, making him a powerful symbol of protection and hope.

In Catholic tradition, saints are venerated as intercessors, with the faithful seeking their blessings and guidance. In this sense, praying to a saint can be seen as a way to invoke good fortune or divine intervention in times of need.

The Niño de Atocha represents Jesus as a child and is associated with the Atocha neighborhood in Madrid, Spain. He is traditionally depicted as a young pilgrim wearing a plumed hat and a cape adorned with a scallop shell. He is seated, holding a basket of bread and a staff with a drinking gourd—symbols of his miraculous provision for those in need. His veneration extends across Spain, Latin America, and the Southwestern United States, particularly in New Mexico.

The legend of the Niño de Atocha dates back to medieval Spain during a time of Moorish rule when many Christians were imprisoned for their faith. Prisoners were dependent on their families for food, but only children under the age of 12 were allowed to deliver it. This left many captives in dire circumstances—until an unknown child began appearing late at night, bringing food and water. Mysteriously, his basket and gourd never emptied.

The faithful soon believed that their prayers had been answered by Our Lady of Atocha, who had sent the Christ Child to aid the prisoners. Their suspicions were confirmed when they examined the statue of the Niño de Atocha and found that the child’s shoes were worn, suggesting he had been traveling to help those in need.

This enduring miracle is why the Niño de Atocha is venerated as the patron of the unjustly imprisoned, as well as those in distress.

Traditional image of the Niño de Atocha

Chalkware statue of the Niño de Atocha, House of Good Fortune Collection

Michael Jackson as the Messenger of Santo Nino?

In Michael Jackson’s Beat It video, one image stands out in the otherwise empty bedroom: a framed image of the Niño de Atocha. Its presence seems too intentional to be mere coincidence. Given the meticulous attention to detail in the video—right down to Jackson’s iconic red leather J. Parks jacket—it’s hard to believe the Niño simply slipped in unnoticed.
Was the image personal to Jackson, or was it placed there by the set designer for a specific reason?

Michael Jackson was neither Catholic nor Latino, making it unlikely that this religious figure held deep personal significance for him. However, Jackson Michael Jackson often spoke of feeling imprisoned by his fame. Could the Niño, known as the protector of the wrongfully imprisoned, have been placed there to symbolize his own struggles? If so, who made that decision?

There may be a simpler explanation. In the 1980s, gang violence was a major issue in Los Angeles, where the video was filmed. In fact, director Bob Giraldi cast real members of the Bloods and Crips alongside professional dancers to add authenticity. The conflict between the gangs in the video echoes the legendary street battles of West Side Story, which, in turn, parallels the clashes between Christians and Moors in Spain—an era that gave rise to the legend of the Santo Niño de Atocha.

Perhaps the Niño’s purpose in Beat It was to serve as a symbolic rescuer, protecting the gang members from harm. Consider the brief moment when the image appears: the Niño watches over Jackson’s shoulder as he changes outfits, then Jackson dances out the door and heads to the warehouse to break up the knife fight. One could interpret this as the Niño sending Michael as a messenger—tasked with stopping the violence and guiding the gang members to safety.

The real reason for the Niño’s inclusion remains a mystery. Unless The House can track down someone from the production company with firsthand knowledge, we may never know for sure.

For those who want to do a really deep dive on the Santo, The House recommends Santo Nino de Atocha by John Thompson, Journal of the Southwest, Vol. 36, No. 1 (Spring, 1994), pp. 1-18 (18 pages).