Santa Fe, New Mexico Hotel Near El Santuario de Chimayo

El Santuario de Chimayo Nearby Hotel History Facts

Make the most of your New Mexico vacation by staying at the Comfort Suites Santa Fe, a family-friendly hotel that puts an amazing array of attractions at your fingertips, including El Santuario de Chimayo, which is a very easy 16-mile drive away.

El Santuario de Chimayo Near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Located in the stunning Sangre de Cristo Mountains, El Santuario (the shrine) de Chimayo is often referred to as the "Lourdes of America." It’s unclear how this moniker stuck, but according to a letter written by Friar Sebastian Alvarez to the Episcopal See of Durango in l8l3, many people came from all over to seek cures for their ailments. Word spread and this resulted in true believers making the pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayo. Today, nearly 300,000 people come to El Santuario de Chimayo to pray, to ask for peace and to feel the healing touch of God. For more information, visit www.archdiocesesantafe.org/AboutASF/Chimayo.html.  [Top]

El Santuario de Chimayo History. There are no written documents relating to the apparition of Our Lord in the Chimayo area. What there is, however, is an oral tradition passed down from generation to generation. For example, in 1810, during Holy Week on the night of Good Friday, Don Bernardo Abeyta saw a light coming from one of the hills near the Santa Cruz River. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the light was coming from the ground. After digging with his bare hands, he found a Crucifix. He left it there and called the neighbors to come and worship this amazing find. Friar Sebastian Alvarez was notified and he came, along with others, to Chimayo. When they got to the spot where the Crucifix was, Friar Sebastian picked it up and carried it back to the church. The Crucifix was placed in the niche of the main altar. The next morning, the Crucifix was gone. But it was later found in its original location. The Crucifix was then returned to the church but again, it disappeared. When it occurred for a third time, it was patently clear that El Sefior de Esquipulas wanted to remain in Chimayo. At that point, it was decided that a small chapel should be built. For more information, visit www.archdiocesesantafe.org/AboutASF/Chimayo.html.  [Top]

El Santuario de Chimayo Facts

• The Crucifix of Our Lord of Esquipulas was found around l8l0.
• El Santuario de Chimayo was built between l8l4 and l8l6.
• El Santuario de Chimayo was a privately owned chapel until l929 when several people from Santa Fe bought it. Eventually, they turned it over to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
• The Archdiocese of Santa Fe covers 61,142 square miles.
• There are 91 parish seats and 216 active missions throughout the area.

For more information, visit www.archdiocesesantafe.org/AboutASF/Chimayo.html  [Top]