Spain has a real Infinity Gauntlet lookalike, and there’s a human hand inside

An extraordinary relic in Ronda resembles Thanos’s famous weapon, but the story behind its golden covering stretches back more than four centuries.

Visitors to Spain’s Costa del Sol do not have to enter a Marvel film set to find something resembling Thanos’s Infinity Gauntlet. In nearby Ronda, an ornate golden reliquary decorated with colourful stones contains the preserved hand of Saint Teresa of Ávila. The resemblance has fuelled an enduring theory that it inspired Marvel’s famous weapon, although that connection remains unconfirmed.

The colourful stones and metallic fingers make the comparison immediately recognisable to Avengers fans. Yet the object is a religious treasure, made to protect and display human remains venerated by generations of Catholics.

Its history involves Carmelite nuns, the movement of sacred relics across borders and decades in the possession of Francisco Franco.

What is inside the golden glove?

The reliquary holds the left hand of Saint Teresa of Jesús, better known internationally as Teresa of Ávila. The Spanish nun, writer and religious reformer died in 1582. Her hand was separated from her body after her death and preserved as a sacred relic.

Despite its golden appearance, the covering is made from silver gilt, decorated with precious and semiprecious stones. It has long been kept by the Carmelite community at the Convent of the Corazón Eucarístico de Jesús, beside Ronda’s Church of La Merced.

The object is commonly called the saint’s “incorrupt hand”. However, an examination of the remains offers a more precise description of what survives inside.

In a 2024 interview published by the Diocese of Málaga, Father Marco Chiesa, the Carmelite order’s postulator general, described the hand as mummified and in a good state of preservation. Specialists examined it alongside other remains of the saint in Alba de Tormes. Opening its tightly sealed container also allowed initial restoration work on the reliquary itself.

Why Marvel fans recognise it

For anyone familiar with Thanos, the resemblance needs little explanation. A golden glove, colourful stones and an elaborate setting recall the fictional weapon used to wield the six Infinity Stones.

Online comparisons were appearing in Spanish media by May 2018, around the release of Avengers: Infinity War. The theory gained further attention during the excitement surrounding Avengers: Endgame the following year.

However, there is a crucial gap between spotting a likeness and proving that one object inspired another.

Euronews examined the comparison in 2025 and reported that none of the creators involved had confirmed the connection. The claim that Marvel based its gauntlet on Saint Teresa’s reliquary therefore remains a theory.

How the relic ended up with Franco

The hand’s history takes another unexpected turn during the Spanish Civil War. Removed from the Carmelite community, it was subsequently recovered by Nationalist forces and came into Franco’s possession.

The dictator retained the relic until his death in 1975. It was later returned to the Carmelite community in Ronda, reconnecting the town with one of its most unusual religious treasures.

That history gives the object a significance far beyond its resemblance to a superhero prop. For believers, it is a physical connection to one of Spain’s most important saints. For other visitors, its craftsmanship and extraordinary journey offer a glimpse into the country’s religious and political past.

Another side of Ronda beyond its famous bridge

Ronda is best known for its dramatic gorge and Puente Nuevo, with the walkway beneath the famous bridge offering another perspective on the town. The relic belongs to a quieter part of its heritage, beyond the familiar viewpoints explored in EWN’s guide to Ronda.for

Its future in the town has prompted speculation of its own. In a statement published on June 13, 2026, the Carmelite community distanced itself from reports presenting its departure as decided. The sisters said the future of both the community and Saint Teresa’s hand remained unknown. www.soledadronda.es

For now, the most remarkable detail needs no Marvel connection. The ornate covering that resembles a fictional instrument of cosmic power was made to house a real human hand, preserved for more than 400 years.