Holy Dirt

Tucked within El Santuario is a small room housing el pocito — the well of holy dirt. To reach into it, a visitor must kneel, just as Bernardo Abeyta knelt when he discovered the crucifix of Chapel of our Lord of Espuipulas on this very spot on Good Friday, 1810. Since that day, pilgrims have come seeking spiritual, emotional, and physical healing. Many rub the dirt on areas of the body in need of healing; others carry it home to sick loved ones who could not make the journey themselves. Testimonies and photographs left by pilgrims over the years line the walls of the adjoining room — a quiet witness to the faith that has drawn people here for more than two centuries.

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Because so many pilgrims carried the dirt away with them, the floor of the room began to sink by the 1960s, and flagstone was laid to stabilize it. Since then, the pocito has been replenished with dirt from the hills surrounding the chapel.

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El Santuario de Chimayó endures through the generosity of the people of Chimayó and the many visitors who find in this humble, ancient place something worth honoring and preserving. Donations support the ongoing care of the building, its artwork, and the surrounding grounds.

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Donations are strongly encouraged and deeply appreciated. Contributions help support the ongoing upkeep, preservation, and maintenance of the historic Mission so the grounds may continue to serve as places of faith, history, and community for generations to come.