SANTA CRUZ DE LA CAÑADA CHURCH
Spanish settlers first came to the Santa Cruz area around 1598 under the protection and religious charge of the San Gabriel mission in Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. This settlement lasted until 1680 when a massive uprising of the Native Americans, led by the Okhay Owingeh medicine man, Pope, was successful in driving the Spanish from New Mexico. When the Spanish re-colonized New Mexico they quickly moved to regain control of the middle Rio Grande valley. In 1695 the town of "Villa Nu
A Place of Thanksgiving
After surviving some great crisis or recovering from an illness, many people are motivated to give thanks. In Exodus 16 and 17, we are told how Moses led the Hebrews into the desert. When the people complained that they were thirsty, God told Moses to take his rod and strike the rock at Horeb. Water poured from the rock, the people drank, and then they praised the Lord. Isn’t it strange that some people give thanks only when something good happens? It’s very easy to thank God
A Place of Healing
It has been said that the discarded crutches, canes, braces, wheelchairs, and messages of thanksgiving that hang from the adobe walls in the prayer room are proof of the miracles of Chimayo. Still, while many people have left their crutches and walked away cured, the Church has never sought to officially confirm or deny any of the miracles. It has also been said that the dirt in the "pocito" replenishes itself. Yet it is common knowledge that the dirt is brought in from surro
El Pocito (the Little Well)
Visitors to El Santuario come from all over the world and represent many diverse religious and cultural beliefs. Many are pilgrims who walk long distances, sometimes barefoot, sometimes carrying large wooden crosses. Some visitors are Jews, Hindus, Muslims or Buddhists who come initially out of simple curiosity. Some are blessed with the belief that they are at a place of God that transcends those things which tend to separate us. Nearly all who come to El Santuario visit "el
El Rincon de Don Bernardo Abeyta Welcome Center
El Rincón de Don Bernardo Abeyta Welcome Center is a free museum and welcome center which provides narratives into the history of el Santuario and the history of both El Santuario and the Catholic Church in northern New Mexico. One of the most important aspects of that history is the role of the "penitentes" in maintaining the faith and keeping the Hispanic religious traditions alive. There are also several important exhibits of artwork. One is the exhibit of antique and cont
Los Hermanos Penitentes
One of the most distinct and important religious societies in northen New Mexico and southern Colorado is Los Hermanos Penitentes. The full name is Los Hermanos de la Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, "The Brothers of the Pious Fraternity of Our Father Jesus of Nazareth" or sometimes La Cofradia de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, "The Fraternity of Our Father Jesus of Nazareth". This society has had a strong influence on the culture and beliefs of the small v
Las Posadas
Las Posadas "The Lodgings (or Accomodations)" is a nine-day ceremony, "novenario", culminating on Christmas Eve which depicts the search for lodging that Joseph and Mary undertook immediately prior to the birth of Jesus. The nine days depicts the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy. This ceremony originated in Spain but now is practiced primarily in Guatemala, Mexico and the southwest U.S. Each night a procession featuring Mary, riding on a donkey, Joseph, musicians and various o
Los Matachines
Los Matachines is both a dance and a symbolic reenactment of various aspects of both the medieval Hispanic culture and the indigenous tribes that they met when they set out to conquer the New World. It is performed, in various forms, from southern Colorado to the southern most tip of Central America but is perhaps most dominant in New Mexico. The costumes worn by many of the dancers borrows elements of Moorish influence. Recall that the Moors dominated the Iberian peninsula u
Danza Azteca
La Danza Azteca, "The Aztec Dance", is a visual representation of the culture and art of the native people of Mexico. It does not refer solely to the Aztec people, but is rather a mixture of the various tribes and cultures that comprise Mexico. It is one of the few indiginous dances which allows women to participate. Danza Azteca is a blend of pre-Columbiana and Christian traditions and, in a real sense, is both a means of prayer and a search for integration and harmony in th
Española Fiesta
Since 1934, or earlier, the city of Española has celebrated the Fiesta de Valle de Española. The main festivities occur near mid-July each year and is a remembrance of the founding of Santa Cruz de la Cañada, one of the earliest Hispanic settlements in the United States (founded in 1598) and the merging of the three main cultures that are predominant in this region, that of the Tewa Indians, the Hispanics and, later, the Anglos. The festival begins in mid-June with the dubbin
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