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 surrounding hillsides and, though blessed by a priest, has no special power in and of itself.

What, then, should we make of these miracles? Do they really happen, or are they just imagined?

A small booklet published by the Sons of the Holy Family (caretakers of the Santuario) states; "Many written testimonies of favors granted have been received at the Shrine... Maybe (they) will help increase the faith (of) others, not in the mud of Chimayo... but in the love of God. A man from California wrote, ‘It didn’t cure me, but then it’s God’s will.’"

Many people come to Chimayo in search of miracles; some find them, some don"t. But they all share a love of God and believe that no matter what they have been told, God can and does work miracles. When he walked on the water, Jesus taught us that faith is a prerequisite to miracles, and he promised his disciples that wondrous things could be accomplished as long as their faith didn’t falter.

Sometimes, however, the miracle is not the one that cures our tormented bodies; sometimes the miracle is faith itself.