Elizabeth
Anne VanderPutten - El Santuario de Chimayo
 Each
year, hundreds of thousands of visitors
travel to a small
town of 4,366 in the foot hills of the Sangre de Christo Mountains north of
Santa Fe. It is the old Spanish village of Chimayo, famous for generations
for its weaving. But weaving is not why most people come. They are pilgrims come to
visit the tiny mission church, El Santuario de Chimayo -- known
widely as the "Lourdes
of America." They come seeking healing or penance. They come hoping
for a miracle. |
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El SantuarioAccording to one version of the legend a farmer named Don Bernardo Abeita had a vision while working in his field one day. The vision told him to dig beneath his plow where he would find earth with great healing powers. The farmer did as he was commanded and discovered a cross and pieces of cloth belonging to two long martyred priests. Thereupon the farmer built a rough adobe chapel to house the cross. The year was 1813. |
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de Nuestra Senor de Esquipulas |
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A Pilgrimage to El Santuarioby Kathi Larkin Martinez |
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Pilgrims from throughout the Southwest have come for
generations to visit el Santuario. According to Fr. Jerome Martinez y Alire of
the St.
Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe, the tradition expanded greatly after
World War II. Many New Mexicans were sent to the Philippines because of their
familiarity with the Spanish language - therefore they made up a large portion
of the troops forced on the Bataan Death March. Many swore that if they
survived that they would walk from Albuquerque to Chimayo (approximately the
100 miles of the Death March) in thanksgiving.
Today 10's of 1000's make the trip, some from as far away as Las Cruces to thank God or to ask for some special indulgence. Especially popular is the week before Easter and most particularly Good Friday. [In 2002, the sheriff's department estimated that 20,000 people visited on Good Friday alone.] Since our parish, Santa Fe, is the seat of the Catholic community in New Mexico, we were to be the first to make the pilgrimage |
at the start of holy week. And so Saturday morning at 6 am found Stephen and me walking along with a group of about 100 from Nambe to Chimayo (about 8 miles). I must tell you that I had always thought that pilgrimages were fraught with sacrifice and tribulation but instead it was absolutely one of the most uplifting experiences of my life. Picture, if you can, walking through the New Mexican country along narrow winding mountain roads... the pinks and golds of the sunrise reflecting and awakening the high mesa landscape... a small herd of horses, their tails and manes flying, run toward the road to greet us, then stand quietly watching as we pass by, silently praying for peace. And I am sure that if even for one moment only... God heard us. Come join us next year? Love to you all, Katie, Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 5, 2002 |
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