New Mexico’s Old Times & Old Timers

NEW MEXICO’S the church.

OLD TIMES & OLD TIMERS Chimayó Don Bernardo and his descendants continued to own El Santuario until 1929 when by Don Bullis, New Mexico Author “The Lourdes of it was sold to the Spanish Colonial Arts Society which in turn donated it to the DonBullis.biz the Southwest” Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Hundreds of pilgrims (one source puts

In the last years of the 18th century and morning, from a cottonwood tree that during Holy Week each year. The church the early years of the 19th, a significant stood on the spot designated by the priest itself contains leg braces, crutches and landowner and sheep raiser, Don Berfor a chapel, there protruded a foot. The canes; all evidence of the miraculous healnardo Abeyta, lived along El Rio de Santa people were so impressed with the miracle ings that have taken place there. Cruz some twenty-five or so miles norththat they built the chapel and made it the The origins of the community of west of Santa Fe, when he became ill. The most beautiful church in all of New Mexico.” Chimayó are in some dispute. One source unknown malady was severe and local folks While the above account dates the states that it was first settled during the generally believed that he would die. His miracle after 1837, by about 1812 or 1813, administration of New Mexico’s colonizer daughter led him outside one day so that the original chapel had already been conand first governor, Juan de Oñate (1598- he might warm himself in the sun. As Don structed, and the church that remains in use 1608). Another avers that it was not settled Bernardo sat before his house and gazed today was constructed in 1816. Structurally, until after Spanish re-conquest in 1692. across the acequia madre at his distant the only change since then was the addiChimayó is also noted for the many outflocks, he is said to have given thought to tion of a pitched tin roof in the early 1920s. standing weavers who reside there. the good he could do if his life was spared. Because Don Bernardo was a devotee of The name itself—Chimayó—is said to As he watched, a figure appeared on the El Señor de Esquipulas, the church was dedmean “obsidian flake” or “good flaking opposite bank of the acequia. He recogicated to him. El Señor de Esquipulas is stone.” It is of Tewa origin and a Tewa village nized it as an apparition of Nuestra Señor sometimes referred to as the Cristo Negro, may been there before the arrival of the de Esquipulas. The figure disappeared as Don Bernardo hobbled weakly toward it, or the Black—or dark—Christ. A shrine to him in Guatemala is dedicated to his miracSpanish in 1598. ▫ but he fell to his knees on the spot where ulous healing powers; the healing Our Lord of Esquipulas had stood. Don Berassociated with holy earth found in nardo was instantly cured of his illness. In gratitude, he built an adobe chapel on the spot and that small structure marked the the number at 30,000) walk to El Santuario beginning of El Santuario de Nuestro Señor de Espuipulas; commonly called El Santuario de Chimayó which was completed Cattlemens after 1810. At least that is one of the legends concerning the origins of El Santuario. Another is that Don Bernardo, a leading member of the Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno or Penitente Brotherhood, did not see an apparition, but he did see something glowing on the ground near his house and he discovered that it was a crucifix. He dutifully took it to a local priest, but it miraculously returned to the place where Abeyta originally found it. He then decided that he should build a chapel on that spot. A variation on this story is that it was a priest who found the crucifix. And one more legend was this: “It was some years after the Chimayó rebellion in 1837, that a priest came to the settlements on the upper Santa Cruz, which are known Auction Co., Inc. Livestock CATTLE Every Friday at 9 a.m. SHEEP, GOATS & HORSES R egular Sales R egular Sales 1st Tuesday of Every Month at 10 a.m. BelenLivestockAuction.com under the collective name of Chimayó. He For more information or to consign cattle, please give us a call or drop ministered to the people who were without by. We guarantee our same high quality service as in the past. a church, and after a while asked them to P.O. Box 608 • Belen, NM build a chapel on a spot he had selected. OFFICE: 505/864-7451 • FAX: 505-864-7073 But the people were too indifferent and BRANDON MAJOR — 505-270-4873 refused to heed the admonition. One day ELIJAH PADILLA — 505-573-0546 the priest disappeared and the next BUCKY RUSSELL — 505-410-3216