Santo Niño Portal es un lugar de oración y meditación.
Situado junto a la Capilla del Santo Niño de Atocha,
las imágenes religiosas recuerdan la infancia de Jesús
y la espiritualidad de la humildad y la sencillez: Zacarías
e Isabel, san Francisco de Asís, Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús,
los reyes magos Melchor, Gaspar y Baltasar.
Total Elevation Gain: About 410’ from Santa Cruz (5663’) to Chimayo (6075’).
Difficulty: Moderate
This is a popular pilgrimage because it is along the route taken by don Bernardo Abeyta and his neighbors after they found the cross, Nuestro Señor de Esquipulas, in the tiny community of El Potrero (Chimayo) in 1810 and took it to the church of Santa Cruz de la Cañada.
During Holy Week, many thousands of pilgrims will make their journey to el Santuario de Chimayo along this route.
This pilgrimage should include a stop at Holy Family Parish which is 2.4 miles of el Santuario de Chimayo. All three churches (Santa Cruz Church and Holy Family Church are usually open and available to the public during the daytime; however, you should not disturb mass or other church functions while they are in progress.
Parking, food, and lodging are readily available near Santa Cruz de la Cañada.
Parking is also readily available in Chimayo. Food and lodging are also available in Chimayo but less readily so. The road is well-paved, winding along the Santa Cruz river but generally flat. However, the road is narrow so be careful of traffic which can sometimes be moderately heavy.