City of Holy Faith

A People's History of the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Valerie Rangel, City of Santa Fe Historian, IV

Emergence Stories

Tesuque Rain Gods

Migration Story

Patron Saint of Santa Fe

Desfile de Los Niños

La Conquistadora 

Hidden Jews in New Mexico

Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Penitente Brotherhood in New Mexico

Alabados De Nuevo Mexico

Brujería

Curanderismo

San Miguel Chapel

Feast day of San Ysidro

San Ysidro Church (Agua Fría Village)

Santuario de Guadalupe

Santuario de Chimayó

Devoted to the Saints: New Mexican Santos

Understanding Los Matachines

Powder House on Galisteo

History of Methodist church in Santa Fe

Olive Rush Studio

Holy Faith Episcopal Church

Sisters of Loretto

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe

Scottish Rite Masonic Temple

Our Lady of Guadalupe Abby

The Baptist legacy

Cross of the Martyrs Commemorative Walkway

Zozobra

Una Luncha Por Mi Pueblo

Japanese Internment Camps

Carmelite monastery

History of the Lutheran church

Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

The Mormon Battalion

Thubten Norbu Ling: a Tibetan Buddhist center in Santa Fe

Pueblo Feast Days

Nucleo Santa Fe

Chanukah on the Santa Fe Plaza 2021

Kwanzaa: A Celebration of African American Culture and Heritage

Las Posadas

Dia de Muertos on the Santa Fe Plaza

Canyon Road Farolitos

Christmas All Year Round

Holy Spirit Espresso

Emergence Stories

Broadcast: Oct 18, 2018

Many Native American peoples share a belief that they emerged from the earth. For the Hopi and other Pueblo peoples, after they emerge, they meet the caretaker of the earth who instructs them to honor Mother Earth by taking care of her. They are instructed to walk to the world’s farthest corners, to learn the earth with their feet and to find their Center Place.

Full series now streaming at  https://to.pbs.org/2DdzTCv 

Tesuque Rain Gods

Historical Marker located in the post office area of Tesuque, NM

Plaque inscription: Seated clay figurines known as rain gods or "rain catchers" spring from Tesuque Pueblos's deep-rooted figurative pottery tradition. Popularized in the 1880's, Tesuque women made and sold the figurines in a variety of colors and designs, and earned income by selling them to curio dealers and tourists. Rain gods typically hold pots while other gods hold children, animals and other objects. The tradition is practiced to this day.

Migration Story

Sept 9, 2019 Navajo Historian, Wally Brown, teaches about how clans become extinct and shares some migration stories of the Navajo people.

Patron Saint of Santa Fe

Francis of Assisi (born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone) (1181 or 1182 – 3 October 1226)

Saint Francis of Assisi was a "holy fool" of God, and one of the most venerated religious figures in the history of Christianity. He was an Italian friar and the preacher who founded the Franciscan Order, the men's Order of Friars Minor, the women's Order of St. Clare, the Third Order of St. Francis, and the order of Custody of the Holy Land.

St. Francis was born to father, Pietro Bernardone, a wealthy Assisian cloth merchant, and mother, Pica, who is said to have belonged to a noble family of Provence. Francis was one of several children. At baptism, he received the name of Giovanni, which his father afterwards altered to Francesco. At the age of twenty, Francesco accompanied townsmen in a fight with the Perugians, a rival city which they frequently battled. The Assisians were defeated in the skirmish, and Francesco was taken as one of the prisoners. He was held captive for more than a year in Perugia.

While incarcerated, Francesco contracted a long illness that was accompanied by a fever. When his health regained, Francesco pursued a military career. It is said that Francesco had several strange dreams while serving in the military, and from his dreams came an epiphany about the direction of his life. In a series of drastic measures, he renounced his family and inheritance in order to follow a spiritual path, affiliating with lepers and beggars that lived on the outskirts of town...

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Origins-of-La-Villa-Real-de-la-Santa-Fe.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

Artist, Cliff Fragua, explores the relationship between himself, Po’Pay, and St. Francis through poetry and sculpture. Click this link to view:  Cliff Fragua's "MuggZ's Plight', an augmented reality experience in Santa Fe New Mexico — OJOS DIFERENTES 

Desfile de Los Niños

Desfile de Los Niños or otherwise known as the Children’s Pet Parade is an annual event established in the early 1920's that pays homage to St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Santa Fe. Children and their pets dress in costumes for the event, which culminates with an awards ceremony held on the Plaza. Priests from the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi conduct a Blessing of Animals ritual on the Feast Day of St. Francis, October 4th, each year.

Archival photos:

La Conquistadora 

By: Ana Pacheco, Santa Fe Historian

The Fiesta de Santa Fe began with the re-conquest of the capital city by Diego de Vargas in 1692. This followed the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. That year the Pueblos successfully drove the Spanish colonists out of New Mexico for 12 years. They fled to El Paso del Norte, which today is El Paso, Texas. By 1712 Don Juan Paez Hurtado, who had served as de Vargas’ lieutenant governor, drafted a resolution. The re-conquest and the memory of de Vargas, who died that year, became the basis of the annual fiesta.

Fiesta de Santa Fe 1712 Diego de De Vargas and La Conquistadora are honored at the opening event called La Misa de Pregon. The religious ceremony takes place at six o’clock on the Friday morning of fiesta at Rosario Chapel. The Fiesta de Santa Fe continued as a religious festival through 1846. It honored La Conquistadora during the Spanish and Mexican rule in Santa Fe. Fray Angelico Chavez, the historian, author and Franciscan priest, wrote a book on the history of La Conquistadora in 1956. Brought to Santa Fe in 1625, La Conquistadora is the oldest Marian icon in the United States. 

La Conquistadora is honored in the historic wing of the Saint Francis Cathedral, the Roman Catholic basilica located downtown and is the home of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. The building was erected between 1869 and 1886 on the site of an older adobe church.

Hidden Jews in New Mexico

The conversos, or converts, who fled the Inquisition in Spain came into the New World, often with new names and forged papers because of the decree of Ferdinand and Isabella that no Jew could live in any Spanish territory. They came and settled into new lands that had only had native Indian populations, but shortly after the earliest arrivals the Inquisition followed them into the New World, setting up Holy Courts at Lima, Peru, in Cartagena, Columbia and the most active one in Mexico City in Nueva Espana. Now, with the Inquisition on their heels once again, the conversos began to move again. Some found ways to remain in lands of South America, Central America and Mexico, but others once again moved to where they hoped to be safe. They have been traced to every area of the North American continent where Spaniards had adventured...

Sangre de Cristo Mountains

The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are one of the longest mountain ranges in the world covering a span of 250 miles, starting from Poncha Pass in Colorado to the lowest point Las Vegas, N.M. The highest elevation within the range is Blanca Peak at 14,345 feet, then Wheeler Peak at 13,161 feet, and Baldy Peak, also known to the Tewa’s as “flower mountain,” at 12,622 ft.

The ancestors of Pueblo Indians and the Apache, have lived within the mountains of the Sangres for thousands of years. The mountain peaks are sources of spiritual energy, and sacred places of reverence that encompass bodies of water which serve as doors to other realms. Rituals and prayers to these holy entities kept a balance of harmony between man and nature.

Land was not revered in the same way by Spanish colonists. In many cases, Spanish colonists did not individually own land; it was stewarded as a communal possession belonging to groups of settlers, or clusters of villages. In 1719, the Spanish explorer Antonio Valverde y Cosio, reportedly was awestruck by red-tinted snowy peaks at sunset, and called the mountain range, “Sangre de Cristo” or “Blood of Christ.” At the time, the Spanish referred to the mountains as the “Sierra Madre” or “Mother Mountain” range.

According to a 1779 map, the river west of the pass near Walenburg, Colorado was named Sangre de Cristo. The pass, as well as the surrounding area, became known by the name, Sangre de Cristo, and later the entire mountain range. Some historians speculate that the name became famous for penitential practices such as self-flagellation and Lenten reenactments of the crucifixion of Christ by the religious Penitente Brotherhood who resided within mountain communities of northern New Mexico.

In 1899, the Catholic Church placed a ban on the Penitente societies, which forced centuries old religious practices underground, and away from larger towns and into genizaro rural villages of northern New Mexico. Ceremonies were practiced by the Penitentes that remembered mission services of the Franciscans during the late 1700s. The religious order of the Penitente Brotherhood was known to conduct reenactments of the crucifixion, and medieval customs of self-flagellation that were derived from New Spain and became prohibited...

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Sangre-de-Cristo-Mountains.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

Penitente Brotherhood in New Mexico

By Robert Torrez

Few aspects of New Mexico's history have sparked so much interest, speculation, and misunderstanding as the activities of this Catholic lay men's organization whose beliefs and practices center around recreating the passion and death of Jesus of Nazareth. Even the origins of the hermandad, or brotherhood, remain unclear. Some historians have suggested that it had its beginnings within the Third Order of St. Francis, a lay organization brought to New Mexico by Spanish Franciscan missionaries in the eighteenth century. Others believe that it is based on Mexican or Central American flagellant societies which were based on medieval Spanish practices and brought to New Mexico by immigrants in the early 1800's.

Regardless of its origin, the brotherhood was well established in New Mexico (and the portion of southern Colorado that used to be part of New Mexico) by the time the territory entered the United States in 1848. Historians do not agree as to whether the hermanos had a formal organization during the early nineteenth century, but it is generally accepted that during this time, when clergy were scarce in New Mexico, they provided the principal means of public worship available to a large portion of the population. Most communities had no local priests to conduct services or provide religious instruction. Thus, Catholicism may have survived this period in New Mexican history largely because of the heroic efforts of the local chapters, or moradas, of this pious organization we have come to know as the penitentes...

Alabados De Nuevo Mexico

New Mexico PBS: COLORES Broadcast: December 15, 2009

The New Mexican alabado is a folk poem/canticle used by the Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, more commonly known as the Penitentes, since the colonization of New Mexico. These Spanish hymns were once intimately connected to most communities' spiritual activities. But, as modern New Mexico culture transforms, the alabados are being lost from the repertoire of New Mexican folklore. Beautifully sung by José Griego y Maestas and accompanied by his son Elias, these ancient ballads are stunningly illustrated with modern day images of northern New Mexico to create a profoundly interactive experience.

Brujería

 NEW MEXICO  (KRQE) – Every culture has its version of witches or a belief in witches. In New Mexico, European ideas about witches blend with traditions from Mexican, Spanish, and Native cultures. So, where do New Mexico’s beliefs about witches start?

State Historian of New Mexico, Rob Martinez, said in medieval times, Catholic beliefs in Spain were being blended with demonology, superstition, and folklore, as well as similar stories of witches from Jewish and Muslim populations in Spain. These beliefs in witches would further be combined once they got to the Americas, with Mexican, Puebloan, Apache, Diné, Comanche, and other Native groups. “..And it’s all simmering through the centuries, so you get these ideas of evil being conducted and the idea that the church, and men of the church, need to eradicate and expel the evils,” said Martinez.

According to Martinez, religion plays a significant role in forming the identity of what a witch is. “Especially in our culture, the role of the church, and specifically Roman Catholicism in a place like New Mexico, is very strong,” said Martinez. “Witches weren’t just about scary stories or scary images, they were [a] reality for our ancestors in Spain and in Mexico and New Mexico in the colonial period"...

For more information: Delgado ER. Witch Stories of New Mexico : Folklore of New Spain = Cuentos de Brujas de Nuevo México : Folklore de La Nueva España. E.R. Delgado; 1994. Accessed January 13, 2023.

Ebright, M., Hendricks, R., & Strock, G. (2006). The witches of Abiquiu : the governor, the priest, the Genízaro Indians, and the Devil. University of New Mexico Press.

Curanderismo

The history, traditions, rituals, herbs, and remedies of Curanderismo are a folk healing tradition of the Southwestern United States, Latin America, and Mexico, as well as Native American people. Since time immemorial, elements of nature were gathered to create herbal remedies and perform ceremonies. Through the study and practice of ethnobotany, also known as traditional ecological knowledge, indigenous peoples established an innate relationship with the environment.

Stories, language, art, and ceremonies incorporated plants and contributed to the maintenance of health and cultural practices, which have been maintained by traditional beliefs and close connections with the environment. Indo-Hispanic healing rituals included holistic treatments for intestinal blockage (empacho), spiritual cleansings (limpias), laugh therapy (risa terapia), shawl alignments (manteadas) and preparation of medicinal teas (tes medicinales). Curanderas also served as partera (midwife), sobadora (folk chiropractor), and the yerbera (herbalist).

In communities throughout New Mexico, for most of its history, healing the sick and injured fell on those who had the knowledge of local herbs and remedies. Storyteller Ray John de Aragón recounts the history of the Battle of Glorieta Pass in his book, “Haunted Santa Fe”, noting that Curanderas were called to treat the sick and wounded soldiers in 1862, because there weren’t enough medical personnel provided by the military.

Curanderas, sometimes called witches, have existed in New Mexico for centuries. The practice has been passed down through oral history and apprenticeships and continues today. The knowledge used in traditional methods of healing are dynamic and have adapted to our changing environment throughout time. The future practice of Curanderismo might be different due to the impacts of a rapidly changing climate. and the disappearance of biodiversity of plants on our planet.

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Curanderismo.pdf (santafelibrary.org)  

Generation Justice KUNM Radio featured a program on New Mexico’s traditional healers who are keeping Curanderismo, or traditional healing, practice alive and thriving for the community. The summer of 2019 was the 19th Annual Traditional Medicine without Borders: Curanderismo in the Southwest and Mexico course at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Guests include Antoinette ‘Tonita’ Gonzales, a curandera, and instructor of traditional healing, Dr. Eliseo ‘Cheo” Torres and Rita Navarrete who teach healing practices through the UNM Curanderismo course.

Click this link to listen to the radio program:   5.19.19 - Curanderismo for the Community - Generation Justice 

Learn more: Eliseo, C. T., & Sawyer, T. L. (2005). Curandero : A Life in Mexican Folk Healing (1st ed.). University of New Mexico Press.

San Miguel Chapel

San Miguel Mission, also known as San Miguel Chapel, is a Spanish colonial mission church in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

San Miguel Chapel first appears in the surviving historical written record in 1628. Construction may have begun by 1610 according to oral history, simultaneous with, or prior to, the official founding of Santa Fe. According to archeologists, this Franciscan-designed house of worship rests upon an early Pueblo settlement from circa 800-1300 CE.

San Miguel Chapel is the oldest Catholic Church built in the United States part of whose original walls are still standing and which is still used regularly for religious services. It is the centerpiece of El Barrio de Analco National Register Historic District in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Adobe buildings like this chapel, historically, were not exclusively used for worship and ceremonies. Their size and location within the community allowed for a variety of gatherings.

During the 400+ years, first under the rule of imperial Spain, then Mexico, and finally the USA, the Chapel, dedicated to Archangel Michael, has been many things to many people. It has served as a place of worship for diverse groups of Native Americans; an infirmary for Franciscan missionaries; a target for autocratic officials and exploited Pueblo groups; a military chapel; a unique venue for talks, concerts, celebrations and ceremonies; and a sanctified space for Sunday Mass in Latin and English. Today and into the future, this treasured, privately owned, but ever-fragile structure requires constant vigilance and expert use of traditional construction methods and culturally authentic materials.

Source:  San Miguel Chapel - Santa Fe, NM - Oldest Church in the USA » The History of San Miguel Chapel ~ Santa Fe  A metal plaque from the Historic Santa Fe Foundation, embedded into the wall at the corner of East De Vargas Street and Old Santa Fe Trial, marks the Barrio de Analco district that was established in the 1600s. The name’s origins are thought to come from Mexico, where there are “barrios de analco” in the cities of Puebla, Durango, and Jalisco, Mexico. The Nahuatl word “analco” means “the other side of the water”...

To read the full historical essay click this link:  San-Miguel-Chapel_Barrio-of-Analco.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

Click to view an immersive art experience created in collaboration between PAZ and his daughter Crystal, dancers made of energy and light perform an invocation to the 4 directions:  About 2 — OJOS DIFERENTES 

Feast day of San Ysidro

1600 - present day Communities in New Mexico still follow centuries-old traditions that came from Spain with ceremonial blessings for the waterways that give life to the crops. They honor the May 15 feast of San Ysidro, patron saint of laborers and farmers, with processions, singing, dancing and a blessing of local acequias.

Historical sources say Ysidro, sometimes spelled Isidro, was a Spanish peasant born around 1070 who worked on the lands of Juan de Vargas near Madrid. An image of San Ysidro Labrador, the patron saint of laborers and farmers, is depicted on a prayer card produced for the New Mexico Acequia Association. The feast day of San Ysidro is on May 15. Many communities hold ceremonies to bless the acequias.

According to legend, San Ysidro was very devout and spent so much time praying that his co-workers complained. But when De Vargas went to check on his work, he found an angel driving the oxen to plow the field so Ysidro could continue his devotions. Ysidro is credited with miracles such as making a spring gush by banging the ground while plowing. It’s also said that when his only son fell into a well and Ysidro prayed, water rose in the well bringing the boy to the surface. Ysidro and his wife, María Torribia, known as Santa Maria de la Cabeza, are also revered for helping to relieve drought.

Photo: La Capilla de San Ysidro Labrador in Santa Fe La Capilla de San Ysidro Labrador is a small private chapel built in 1928 by Lorenzo López, using rocks gathered from his property and mud from the nearby acequia to construct the walls. Built on a rock outcropping above Cerro Gordo Road, it honors San Isidro Labrador, the eleventh-century patron saint of farmers. For nearly a century, it has played a role in the San Isidro feast day celebrated on May 15. The López Chapel reflects the tradition of small family shrines that appeared throughout New Mexico during Spanish colonization and beyond and is a unique handcrafted folk-art construction.

To listen to an audio recording from 1956 of the song, "San Ysidro Labrador," performed by Julian Zamra in Tome, NM, click this link:   San Ysidro Labrador - UNM CSWR John Donald Robb Field Recordings - CONTENTdm Title 

San Ysidro Church (Agua Fría Village)

Historical Marker inscription: "This 19th century adobe church is dedicated to San Isidro, ploughman, patron saint of farmers and protector of crops. Christian tradition maintains that in order to allow San Isidro time for his daily prayers an angel plowed his fields. Agua Fria annually observes this fifteenth day of May as “His Day of Goodwill” to honor his role in this agricultural community along El Camino Real."

The history of the Agua Fría village dates back to 3,000 B.C. and may be the oldest and largest agricultural settlement of its kind in North America. Located five miles southwest of the Santa Fe Plaza, the area was primarily farmed by Native Americans in the region until a drought in 1250 A.D., then again between 1300 until 1400 when the settlement was finally abandoned.

The Village of Agua Fria-Quemado When the Spanish first arrived, Khaʼpʼoe Ówîngeh, also known as the Pueblo of Santa Clara, referred to the area by a Tewa name, P’o’Karige, meaning “cold water place”. The cold springs along Agua Fria served as a central hub for area settlement. Tewa and Tano Indians named the village Ca-Tee-Ka meaning "cold water," which is likely a reference to the cold temperatures of high elevation mountain springs such as the Santa Fe River which flowed through the area via acequias and converged with the Rio Grande. Later Spanish colonists named the village, “Agua Fria,” which means “cold water”.

In 1693, a land grant was given to Captain (Maestro del Campo) Roque Madrid, for his service in the “Reconquest” of New Mexico in 1692, led by General Diego de Vargas. The boundaries of Madrid’s land grant extend from Ojito Fresco to Pueblo Quemado. For two generations, Captain Madrid’s family farmed the area since 1640. Other soldiers were also given land grants to farm the Agua Fría area...

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Historic-Agua-Fria-village.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

Santuario de Guadalupe

This adobe church, built sometime between 1776 and 1795, is the oldest shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe in the United States. Its canvas painting of Our Lady is an outstanding example of Spanish ecclesiastical art. No longer an active church, the building is now a unique museum depicting New Mexico’s religious history and is used for concerts and other community activities.

Santuario de Chimayó

Chimayó is a settlement located along State Road 76, 10 miles east of Espanola. The name of this town comes from a Tewa pueblo, occupied during the 12th century, called Tsimayo or “good flaking stone,” which may have referred to the mineral, mica, which is found in the rocks of the area.

Within the town is the Plaza of San Buenaventura, likely built around 1740. The name referred to St. Bonaventure, who was the Cardinal Bishop, Doctor of the Church, pioneer and reorganizer of the Franciscan Order. He is the patron saint of the Pueblo of Cochiti and Humanas Pueblo.

The shrine of El Santuario de Nuestro Señor de Esquipulas (Our Lord of Esquipulas) was built in 1813, by Don Bernado Abeytas, with an altarpiece made of colonial folk art and architecture. The alter also included a Crucifix that features the Lord of Esquipulas crucified on a "living cross", which signifies Christ’s victory over death...

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Chimayo.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

Devoted to the Saints: New Mexican Santos

New Mexico PBS: COLORES Broadcast: Aug 18, 2021

Handed down from generation to generation the religious art of Santeros is a vibrant and important as it was centuries ago. Before the first English colonists set sail for Jamestown on 1607, Spanish settlers arrived in northern New Mexico bringing their heritage and culture to this new world — traditions that still exist today. This PBS program, "Devoted to the Saints," looks closely at the history, role and inspirational value of the Santos, or little saints, carved from wood and revered through the ages.

Understanding Los Matachines

By: Larry Torres

The dance-drama of los Matachines is an ancient tradition in the Hispanic Southwest. It is one of the very few dances shared by both Hispanic and Native peoples. Its roots can trace their influences back to the Middle Ages in Europe and at the same time, find New World influences included within their scope. Just as the sites where the dance-drama is produced are different, the 44 catalogued versions in the Americas also span places as far-flung as Pueblo in the State of Colorado and the deep rainforests of Belize. Taking a look at the Old World influences, many have remarked that the costumes worn by the dance participants are tremendously influenced by the Moorish culture. It must be remembered that the Moors occupied the Iberian Peninsula between the years 711-1492 A.D. Each dancer is appropriately masked with scarves hiding the lower part of their faces with fringe, called fleco, masking their foreheads and eyes.

The heads of the Matachines are surmounted by tall headdresses made of costly fabrics such as velvet and silk. These cupiles are decorated with silk ruffle borders and jeweled trinkets and symbols. From the back of the headdresses hang long silk ribbons arranged in patterns pleasing to the eye.

The masking of the hand is continued with many scarves that bedeck the dancers. Held within the right hand is a three-pronged wand called a palma. It represents the Trinitarian belief that God is one and three at the same time. In the Old World, St. Patrick explained it by holding the triple-leafed shamrock out to the Druids. In the New World it is reflected as the triune god Quetzalcoatl of Mexico who is lord of the air, lord of the land, and lord of the water at the same time...

Powder House on Galisteo

At the beginning of the 1880's many Santa Feans believed that their part of New Mexico was on the verge of a mining boom. Reports of rich gold and silver strikes in the Cerrillos district led to a feeling that mineral development at Carbonateville, Bonanza City, and other camps now long forgotten would make the southern part of the county one of the territory's great mining centers.

Plaza merchants were well aware that exploitation of the resources at Cerrillos and elsewhere would bring a strong demand for mining equipment and supplies, including blasting powder. But because of its unstable composition, stocking that item presented a difficult storage problem. To prevent explosive disasters in Santa Fe, representatives of the aptly named Hazard Powder Company, a Connecticut corporation, sought a suitable location for an explosives repository well away from the center of town.

On July 3, 1880, the company purchased from leading businessman James L. Johnson a one-acre lot east of the Galisteo road and a mile south of the Plaza. Although the old road has turned into busy Galisteo Street and the location is now part of a residential neighborhood, in 1880 the only structure nearby was Johnson's slaughterhouse, which stood a few hundred feet to the west. Using rough-dressed, native sandstone, local masons constructed a small pitch-roofed building suitable for storing powder. A heavy wooden door reinforced with sheet iron formed the entrance, the only opening in the eighteen-inch thick walls.

One of Santa Fe's best-known mercantile houses, Spiegelberg Brothers, acted as agent for the Hazard Company and assumed responsibility for managing the Powder House. As part of a corporate reorganization, the Hazard Company transferred title to the Powder House to a subsidiary of E.I. DuPont de Nemours Company in 1909. For the next thirty years the chemical and explosives giant retained ownership of the building while local hardware dealers looked after its operation.

In 1939 the property was purchased by a Santa Fe mining man, Joseph Byrne, who also owned a trucking company and a petroleum distribution business. Subsequently, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acquired the property that included the little building and later conveyed it to its present owner, the Unitarian Church of Santa Fe. At various times the Powder House has been threatened with destruction but fortunately it remains today to recall the boundless optimism that characterized the hardy miners of New Mexico's frontier.

Learn more: Unitarian Universalist Congregation -  UU Santa Fe - Home 

History of Methodist church in Santa Fe

1850 - Methodism arrived in Santa Fe with the arrival of Reverend E.G. Nicholson. New Mexico had become a U.S. Territory just two years prior as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with Mexico.

1869 - Reverend Dyer from Colorado traveled to Santa Fe in 1869. The local Presbyterian minister graciously allowed Dyer to assist him with Sunday service. Dyer took full advantage of his time at the pulpit and artfully delivered his Methodist-Episcopal message. Based on his experience, Dyer conveyed his support to establish a Methodist-Episcopal church to the newly appointed District Superintendent Thomas Harwood. A small white adobe-clad structure with a short steeple was built on San Francisco Street.  

1906 - In 1897 a Speculation Committee of the Official Board of the young church authorized the purchase of Lots 23, 24, and 25 on Don Gaspar from Judge N.B. Laughlin. A total of $650, $400 in cash and a $250 promissory note, was paid to seal the deal. Construction of the red brick building began in April 1902 but was not completed until 1906 due to financial inadequacies. 

1954 - The doors swung open to parishioners and guests for its inaugural worship on February 7, 1954.  Almost 375 cars filled the parking lot and 750 people flooded in. Reverend Howard Bush led the service and attendees piled a record-breaking $1,012 into the offering plates.

1968 - Methodist churches merged with the Evangelical United Brethren in 1968. It is at this point in our church’s history that we acquired our current name – St. John’s United Methodist Church.

Olive Rush Studio

Santa Fe Friends Former Meetinghouse

The modest adobe-based building is estimated to date to about 1850 (NM Historic Preservation Division). Like the other buildings along Canyon Road at the time, it was a modest farmhouse with several attached acres served by the Acequia Madre. Because of its age and nearly original state of preservation, the Santa Fe Historic Design Review Board considers it a highly significant historical building.

Olive Rush purchased the 700 sq. ft farmhouse in 1920 for her use as a residence and studio. She was a professional artist originally from Indiana who had first visited Santa Fe in 1914 while en route to visit relatives in Whittier, California, with her father. She was a graduate of Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, and was later to receive an honorary doctorate from her alma mater as a distinguished internationally recognized artist. Upon arriving in Santa Fe, she stayed in the guesthouse of a friend from her days at the Chicago Art Institute, Gus Baumann, until purchasing the modest house on Canyon Road.

She set about expanding the building: adding a small, self-contained apartment for anticipated guests, an additional room (possibly used as a bedroom), and a garage. These changes expanded the building to about 1,000 sq. ft. An existing goat house in the large garden area was completely refurbished and turned into a modest rental casita in the 1930s. Since 1980, it has been occupied by a resident/caretaker.

The main building served as her studio and place of business as well as residence. She gave her artistic touch to the walls and main fireplace with small frescoes and even placed several frescoes on exterior walls. The house served also as a social setting during the developing Santa Fe Artists period and, as time went on, the location of an informal Quaker meeting for worship on Sunday mornings.

Upon her death in 1966, the building and garden was bequeathed to the Santa Fe Friends Meeting which had been formally organized in 1948. Some of her furnishings and paintings, illustrations and watercolors continue to be on view. The SF Friends Meeting took historic preservation seriously. Since 1966, only three minor modifications have taken place to the exterior and interior. All were undertaken with close cooperation of the city’s planning division and the Historical Board staff and members..

Holy Faith Episcopal Church

Church of the Holy Faith is an historic Episcopal church. The parish was established in 1863 and is the oldest Episcopal church in New Mexico. In its early days, many of the church members were the Anglo soldiers and officers garrisoned in Santa Fe during the American Civil War. The first church building was completed in 1882 in a style known as "folk gothic" which resembles the architecture of many English cathedrals and parish churches dating from the simplified style of the 13th century. The building was also one of the first dressed-stone buildings in Santa Fe at the time. In the 20th century, the church's physical footprint grew under two projects led by Santa Fe architect and parishioner John Gaw Meem whose Pueblo Revival architecture became known as “Santa Fe style". Meem designed the church's adjacent parish house, now known as Palen Hall, which was completed in 1926. Towards the end of his career, Meem expanded the sanctuary, adding a chancel and choir in 1953.

Sources:

Sisters of Loretto

NM HISTORIC WOMEN'S MARKER: MOTHER MAGDALEN AND THE SISTERS OF LORETTO 1852-1968

In 1852 Jean Baptist Lamy, the first Bishop of the newly created Archdiocese of Santa Fe, traveled through Kentucky where he convinced six nuns to join him in New Mexico. Led by Sister Magdalen Hayden, the sisters from the order of The Friends of Mary at the Foot of the Cross, later known as the Sisters of Loretto, traveled down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to Independence, Missouri where they began the arduous overland wagon trip on the Santa Fe Trail, thus becoming some of the earliest women to travel on the trail.

One of the sisters died and was buried on the trail giving us one of the most poignant photographs of the trail. Bishop Lamy and a couple of her brethren are depicted walking away from her new gravesite. A second sister became incapacitated and had to return, leaving Mother Hayden and three others to continue to Santa Fe. There they encountered a place and people unlike anything they had experienced but they began their work.

From the humble seeds of four nuns with the leadership of Mother Hayden and the encouragement of Bishop Lamy, the Sisters of Loretto established education for women in the Territory of New Mexico at a time when public education did not exist. They also became the first teachers in the Territory to receive certification to teach in public schools, which they did. They opened Our Lady of Light Academy, simply known as Loretto, in Santa Fe and that was followed by a chapel, one novitiate, and ten additional branch houses that were opened throughout New Mexico.

The chapel of Loretto in Santa Fe was built on the campus of Loretto Academy and is the most visible structure standing today that is attributable to the Sisters of Loretto. The chapel with its “miraculous” staircase is a landmark and has been the subject of legends, research, and a movie.

Source: https://www.nmhistoricwomen.org/location/mother-magdalen-and-the-sisters-of-loretto/

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

Commonly referred to as Saint Francis Cathedral, this Roman Catholic cathedral is located downtown and is the home of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. The current building was erected between 1869 and 1886 on the site of an older adobe church.

The church's design stands in stark contrast with its surroundings, as it was built in the Romanesque Revival style. It features round arches with Corinthian columns and square towers. The church is also made from quarried limestone bricks instead of the adobe wall construction of Pueblo-style buildings.

Support from the Jewish Community: "Since their arrival on the Santa Fe Trail, the Jewish spirit of community collaboration has spurred their involvement in all civic affairs. One of the most significant contributions to the city occurred during the construction of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. During the latter part of the 19th century Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy sought financial help from the Jewish merchants to complete construction of the church. In gratitude for their assistance, above the doors of the main of entrance an inscription is featured in the ancient Hebrew Tetragrammaton of YHWH, the Hebrew name for God, which is articulated as Yahweh or Jehovah.

Sigmund Seligman arrived in Santa Fe in 1849 from Gau-Algesheim, Germany. His brother Bernard soon followed and helped establish Seligman & Cleaver, a dry goods store on the Plaza. Some of the other early freighters to arrive via the Santa Fe Trail included Zadoc Stabb and Lehman Spiegelberg, who also established businesses. Zadoc Staab and his brother, Abraham, were major suppliers of dry goods for the army during the Civil War. They went on to become the largest wholesale traders in the Southwest. From left to right: Bernard Seligman, Zadoc Staab and Lehman Spiegelberg with Kiowa Indian scouts." Source:  Support from the Jewish Community at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi - History in Santa Fe 

Located along the Palace of the Governors Avenue, behind the Catholic Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, commonly known as St. Francis Cathedral, is a building with the name, Marian Hall, engraved into the stone of its north facing entrance. In 1865, Archbishop Lamy purchased land in the area and invited the Sisters of Charity, a teaching and healing order from Cincinnati, Ohio to Santa Fe. A portion of land was deeded to the Sisters by Archbishop Lamy to be used for a sanatoria, hospital, and orphanage, in addition to residences for the Sisters.

In 1883, St. Vincent’s Sanatorium opened and became the tallest building in the city, 60 feet high with a cupola on top. Another brick structure built in 1886, became a home for the elderly until 1948, when it was demolished to make way for the new St. Vincent Hospital, designed by renowned architect John Gaw Meem. Various buildings used by the Sisters burned down in a fire in 1893. A new building was erected in 1908. This facility opened in 1910 and was renamed Marian Hall in 1954, in honor of the Marian Year proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The multistory building that became St. Vincent Hospital in 1957 remained in operation on the property until 1977.

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Marian-Hall.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe

First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe is the oldest continuously operating Protestant congregation in New Mexico. The church was established in 1867 to serve the military as well as business and government personnel arriving in Santa Fe after the Civil War. The congregation has occupied three churches on the same triangular site, where it launched some of the first schools and clinics in the New Mexico Territory.

The current Pueblo Revival sanctuary was designed by renowned Santa Fe architect John Gaw Meem and constructed by notable local builder Fred Grill in 1939. Meem was an early advocate of “an architecture of place”. He designed his buildings in the rich stucco traditions of the Southwest that were developed by Native Americans, extended by the Spanish, and continue to influence new construction today.

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/santa-fe-s-first-presbyterian-church-a-spiritual-home-for-150-years/article_bd819cf2-0c6b-5df8-a967-4ed0455500db.html

Scottish Rite Masonic Temple

The Scottish Rite Temple, also known as Scottish Rite Cathedral or Santa Fe Lodge of Perfection, was built in 1912. The structure was designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of Hunt and Burns who were known for their designs in the California Spanish Mission Revival architecture style. But Hunt and Burns decided to go with a design that bridges the Spanish building tradition of New Mexico and that of the Moors in southern Spain. The final product is a Moorish Revival style structure based loosely on one of the gatehouses to the Court of the Lions at the Alhambra in Spain. The building bears some obvious similarities with the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles, which was being designed by Hunt and Burns around the same time, including the tower but without the Islamic entry. The building was built before Santa Fe introduced strict building ordinances governing the architectural style of all buildings in Santa Fe, namely Pueblo Style, Territorial and Norther New Mexico.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Abby

From 1882 to 1939 the Terrero Mine in the Pecos Canyon employed about 600 people. Ore was conveyed from the mine site north of Terrero (Spanish for mine dump) to the milling site (el Molino) just over the Abbey’s west ridge by suspended cable. Many of the roads, bridges and campgrounds in the canyon were created by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. What is now the Abbey Gift Shop served as a stagecoach stop along the Santa Fe Trail and as the Post Office for the mine. The carpenter shop was the stable. During the heyday of dude ranches along Route 66, both the Valley Ranch and the Forked Lightning Ranch, which was owned by the actress Greer Garson and her husband Buddy Fogelson, were popular destinations. In 1947 Trappist monks from Our Lady of the Valley Abbey in Rhode Island bought the Valley Ranch and formally established the first monastery in Pecos in 1948. The Trappists moved to Oregon establishing another Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey there in 1955, selling the monastery property to Benedictine monks from St. Benedict's Abbey in Wisconsin who operated the monastery until 1985, when it became part of the Olivetan Congregation. From 1969 to 1985 the monastery served as a center of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

The Baptist legacy

By: Ana Pacheco, Santa Fe Historian

The Baptist legacy in Santa Fe began in 1849 when the Home Mission Society built a church at Fort Marcy. It became the New Mexico–Arizona Baptist mission. According to historical records, the Baptists sold the property to the Presbyterian Church on May 4, 1869 for $300. After the sale the Home Mission withdrew its support from a number of missionaries in the New Mexico territory. After the missionaries left, there wasn’t any active representation of the Baptist faith for the next 50 years.

A Tent Revival It took half a century for the Baptist Church to return to Santa Fe under the leadership of Dr. E.B. Atwood. Dr. Atwood was the corresponding secretary of the New Mexico Baptist Convention in Albuquerque. Under his guidance the First Baptist Church of Santa Fe began on August 20, 1917, with 23 members. The momentum grew out of evangelistic meetings held in a tent that were the first tent revivals in Santa Fe’s history. For ten days church officials held services in a large tent on a lot located at Manhattan and Don Gaspar avenues. There were a number of Baptist families living in Santa Fe at the time who didn’t have a place to worship. With the tent meetings the First Baptist Church of Santa Fe became a reality.

Cross of the Martyrs Commemorative Walkway

The Cross of the Martyrs is a walkway that commemorates twenty-one Franciscan priests killed during Pueblo Revolt; it is lined with cobblestone bricks with switchbacks, with twenty chronologically ordered plaques.

The original Cross of the Martyrs was located on top of a hill in Fort Marcy Park. It was made of reinforced concrete and stood 25 feet tall, weighing 76 tons. In an effort to revitalize the tradition of Santa Fe Fiestas, Ralph E. Twitchell, Edgar L. Street, and Walter G. Turley designed the original concrete cross to commemorate the deaths of twenty-one Franciscan friars that were killed during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. During the dedication ceremony for the concrete Cross of the Martyrs in 1920 and for many years after, the Cross was the center of annual Santa Fe Fiesta activities. In 1925, the fiesta procession attracted an estimated 3,000 people. Candlelight processions and bonfires on the hillside accompanied annual events for many years that followed. A new Cross, painted white and made of metal, standing twenty feet high, was erected on the hill near Fort Marcy in 1977 and is dedicated to the Franciscan friars who died during the Pueblo Revolt. A commemorative walkway to the Cross was later installed and is lined with cobblestone bricks and switchbacks that commemorate the history of Santa Fe with twenty chronologically ordered plaques. The start of the walkway has a plaque noting the history of Santa Fe which dates back to 500 AD, and a final plaque that reads, “TO THE FUTURE” ...

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Cross-of-the-Martyrs.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

Zozobra

“Zozobra is a hideous but harmless fifty-foot bogeyman marionette. He is a toothless, empty-headed facade. He has no guts and doesn’t have a leg to stand on. He is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. He never wins. He moans and groans, rolls his eyes and twists his head. His mouth gapes and chomps. His arms flail about in frustration. Every year we do him in. We string him up and burn him down in ablaze of fireworks. At last, he is gone, taking with him all our troubles for another whole year. Santa Fe celebrates another victory.” – A.W. Denninger

The Burning of Zozobra was created by Will Shuster in 1924 and has become a renown annual event with thousands of visitors each year. Shuster and a group of creative artist rebels tried to interest the city leaders of the day into interjecting a bit of light-hearted merry-making into autumn events but received a cold reception. Striking out on their own, these renegades decided to create their own counter-event, which they called Pasatiempo.

William Howard Shuster, Jr. (1893-1969), familiarly known as Will, crafted the first Zozobra in 1924 as the focus of a private fiesta event at his home for artists and writers in the community. His inspiration for Zozobra came from the Holy Week celebrations of the Yaqui Indians of Mexico; an effigy of Judas, filled with firecrackers, was led around the village on a donkey and later burned. Shuster and E. Dana Johnson, a newspaper editor and good friend of Shuster’s came up with the name Zozobra, which was defined as “anguish, anxiety, gloom,” in Spanish, “the gloomy one.”

While torching their hand-made effigy was the climax of their party, Shuster and his fun-loving pals also came up with the notion of dressing their pets in costume and parading them around the Plaza, along with creating a spoof of the most notable local events that had taken place over the past year.

Una Luncha Por Mi Pueblo

New Mexico PBS: COLORES Broadcast: November 3, 2009

Corridos are ballads, often referred to as windows that look into the soul of a people. They are the songs of the time, supplementing recorded documents as historical artifacts that describe the popular consciousness at the time in which they were written.

Japanese Internment Camps

1942- 1946 The internment camps were laid out like small towns that included typical worship spaces such as churches. Much of the photographic documentation of Japanese internment camps focuses on Christian facilities for religious practice. Multiple Christian denominations were prominent in the interned communities, as well as more traditional Buddhist practices like Shintoism. Since camp administrators could not enforce the religious needs of internees, both religions flourished in the camps. The internment camps were laid out like small towns that included typical worship spaces such as churches. Much of the photographic documentation of Japanese internment camps focuses on Christian facilities for religious practice. Multiple Christian denominations were prominent in the interned communities, as well as more traditional Buddhist practices like Shintoism. Since camp administrators could not enforce the religious needs of internees, both religions flourished in the camps.

Camp religious centers and organizations were multifunctional. Buildings differed in size and quality, and often served multiple purposes. Regardless of the space’s condition, camp religious centers provided community, education, and even amenities. Christian-run organizations often took responsibility for providing equipment, serving social needs, and organizing camp-wide activities and festivities. Camp religious spaces served not only as important physical places; they also played a vital psychological role as safe spaces for internees.

NOTE ON THIS CASE STUDY Religions are embedded in culture and are deeply impacted by questions of power.  While reading this case study about Buddhism and life as a member of a minority religion in America, think about who is in power and who lacks power. Is someone being oppressed? Is someone acting as an oppressor? How might religious people respond differently when they are in a position of authority or in a position of oppression? As always, when thinking about religion and power, focus on how religion is internally diverse, always evolving and changing, and always embedded in specific cultures.

Located on a hill at the Frank S. Ortiz Park in Santa Fe, NM, stands a stone Marker, placed there April 20, 2002, commemorating the Santa Fe Internment Camp (SFIC). Established in March of 1942, the camp interned over 4,500 Japanese immigrant men, making it one of America’s largest prison camps for resident aliens in the United States during WWII. 

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Japanese-Internment-Camp-Remembrance-Site.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

Carmelite monastery

By: Ana Pacheco, Santa Fe Historian

The Carmelites came to Santa Fe in 1945 when Mother Mary Teresa, along with five sisters, established a monastery at Mount Carmel Road located off of Camino del Monte Sol. Mother Mary Teresa’s given name was Guadalupe De Leon. She entered the monastery in Mexico when she was 19. It was during this time in 1926 that Plutarco Elias Calles was the 40th president of Mexico. The president’s repressive, violent and anti-Catholic regime forced the young nun to flee persecution. She came to the U.S. and eventually became the prioress of the Carmelite monastery in Dallas. In 1960 she left Santa Fe to found a new monastery in Jefferson City, MO, where she died on July 15, 1997 at the age of 94.

The Santa Fe monastery follows the Spanish tradition of the Carmelites. The Spanish Order was established during the 16th century by St. Teresa de Ávila, who entered the convent in 1535. The young nun was born Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada in 1515 in Gotarrendura in the province of Ávila, Spain. A writer and mystic, St. Teresa was a reformer of the Carmelite Order. In 1568 with the assistance of St. John of the Cross, they restored the practice of the Ancient Order of the Carmelites. St. Teresa was canonized as a saint by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. In 1970 she was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI.

History of the Lutheran church

In the late 1950s, the Board of American Missions of the Lutheran Church in America discerned a need for a Lutheran congregation in the capital city of Santa Fe, based on many requests from local residents. The Rev. Donald C. Simonton was chosen as Mission Developer, having come from a nine-year ministry in Albuquerque. This congregation took form through the energetic development work of this committed man.   

In July 1962, Pastor Simonton began a survey for members. On August 1, 1962, the Mission Board purchased a parsonage at 645 East Barcelona where Pastor Simonton and his wife, June, were established. They held a “Get-Acquainted” meeting at the La Posada, on October 7th. The fledgling congregation held its first worship service on October 14, in a rented, metal building at 850 Early Street, and chose Christ as its patron, legally incorporating the church body as “Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church.” The building and its congregation became affectionately known as “St. Bendix” since the Quonset hut, leftover from WW II, had been a local Laundromat. Members even today fondly recall that appellation.

January 27, 1963, the Charter Membership Roles opened. By February 1963, the list of charter members stood at 48.  By March 24, sixty –some adults having prepared themselves for membership by attending classes and signing the charter of the congregation, elected the first Church Council. They elected Monroe Alexander as their first Vice-President and adopted a constitution. (Jay Herenberg followed Monroe as Vice-President.)  A few weeks later, on Palm Sunday, April 7, the Service of Formal Organization took place, legally incorporating the congregation. They were warmly welcomed into the Rocky Mountain Synod by then “President” Leeland Stokes, (That title later is changed to Bishop,) and became “Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Such a tightly knit group of people, so happy to be part of the first mission of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, developed a spirit of community, collaboration, and mission that continues to grow stronger through the years.  The seeds of Christ Church were truly being “sown in good soil. “They continued to meet in “St. Bendix” and voted to purchase land to construct a building of their own. The land purchase of March 4, 1964, was a six-acre plot, originally part of the Spanish Land Grant of Sebastian De Vargas, and was listed at $15,000. It consisted of high ground valued at $1,000 an acre, and parts of an arroyo, considered unsuitable for building, at $500 an acre. The site was considered “on the outskirts” of town; hence, the very low cost, especially by today’s standards. On June 7, 1964 the Building Drive began on “Commitment Sunday” ...

Article: https://www.santafenewmexican.com/life/home/churches-central-to-citys-historic-fabric/article_a94756a6-7e8b-5c5d-8378-f7be0f859d4c.html

Photo of the Immanual Lutheran Church that was built in 1948.

Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

"Ancient Christianity in the City of Holy Faith" The Holy Trinity Orthodox Church of Santa Fe was established in 1996 by a small group of newly chrismated Orthodox Christians led by Father John Bethancourt. It is the second largest Christian church whose religion still being practiced as it was two thousand years ago. The headquarters of the Orthodox Church are located in Damascus, Syria.

"Our temple was built over a decade ago in a unique 'Southwestern Byzantine' style. Since then, iconographers have come to adorn its dome and ceilings. A talented local woodworker has erected a beautiful iconostasis carved by hand over a period of several years."

"Our parish consists of all ages, life stages, and backgrounds. We strive to make it a place where the elderly are honored, families built and supported, and children brought up in the faith."

The Mormon Battalion

Monument erected: June 16, 1940

The original monument was erected by members of the LDS Church from Albuquerque and Los Alamos. Its dedication, held in June 1940, was attended by thousands, including the Church of Jesus Christ leader George Albert Smith and U.S. Army Adjutant General R. C. Charlton. The monument was removed in 1982, during the construction of Interstate 25. At the time, it was supposed to be split into two monuments to be installed on either side of the highway.

The Mormon Battalion, composed of 500 men mustered into the service of the United States in the war with Mexico was called to the colors as the Mormon pioneers were beginning their historic trek to the Rocky Mountains at the conclusion of the 2,000 mile march from Council Bluffs Iowa to San Diego California.

Plaque inscription: The leader who took command at Sante Fe paid tribute to his men in part as follows: "History may be searched in vain for an equal march of infantry. Half of it has been through a wilderness, where nothing but savages* and wild beasts are found, or deserts where, for want of water, there is no living creature. There with almost hopeless labor, we have dug wells, which the future traveler will enjoy. Without a guide who had traversed them, we have ventured into trackless tablelands where water was not found for several marches. With crowbar and pick and axe in hand, we have worked our way over mountains which seemed to defy aught save the wild goat and hewed a pass through a chasm of living rock more narrow than our wagons. To bring these first wagons to the pacific, we have preserved the strength of our mules by herding them over large tracts, which you have laboriously guarded without loss. Thus, marching half naked and half fed, and living upon wild animals, we have discovered and made a road of great value to our country." —Lieutenant Colonel P. St. George Cook

*The word "savages" has since been scratched off.

Historical photo taken in 1941, Photographed by Max R. Hunt

Thubten Norbu Ling: a Tibetan Buddhist center in Santa Fe

Kagyu Shenpen Kunchab is a Tibetan Buddhist center of the Kagyu School located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The temple complex features the Kagyu Shenpen Kunchab Bodhi Stupa, a 69 foot (21 m) tall stupa. The primary practice of the temple is that of Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Lama Karma Dorje started building the stupa in 1983 together with local practitioners. The stupa was finished in 1986 and was consecrated by H.E. Kalu Rinpoche.

Hale, Susan Elizabeth (2013). Sacred Space, Sacred Sound: The Acoustic Mysteries of Holy Places. Quest Books. pp. 114–115.

Leach, Nicky (2009).  Insiders' Guide to Santa Fe  (5th revised ed.). Rowman & Littlefield

Pueblo Feast Days

Posted: January 25, 2016 New Mexico’s cuisine is unlike anywhere else, and the Native American influence on the foods that shape the state is timeless and tasty. Michael and the New Mexico True TV Crew traveled to the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh to take a cooking class with Norma Naranjo.

Most pueblos, with history that dates to the 14th century and earlier, overlaid aspects of Catholicism into their culture when Spain arrived to the high desert in the 1500s. According to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center website,  indianpueblo.org , friars and priests, who established churches at the pueblos, often chose a patron saint with a corresponding feast day to align with traditional celebrations.

Pueblos in the state are sovereign nations, so like travelers anywhere, well-prepared visitors adapt to different customs. Tom Kennedy, tourism director at Zuni Pueblo, about 150 miles west of Albuquerque, says each pueblo is distinct. For example, Zuni has festivals, which feature traditional dances, but not a feast day which celebrates a patron saint. “Zuni Pueblo does not celebrate a feast day because it has never embraced any aspect of Catholicism for various reasons,” Kennedy explains.

"Feast days are part sacred and part secular, but all aspects demand respect," Kennedy says, adding “Feast days are a bit complicated to fully understand. The religious part is also part of the European religion, Catholic, and part traditional Pueblo religion, because the kiva is often involved. The traditional dances are likewise somewhat religious in intent but distinct from the purely religious kiva practices. Those practices are closed to visitors and require respect for cultural privacy."

“Our access to the Native American culture in New Mexico is one of the state’s greatest treasures,” says Monique Jacobson, N.M. Cabinet secretary for tourism. “We are so fortunate to be able to respectfully observe and participate in the rich traditions that have existed for centuries.” She recommends going to as many feast days as possible to begin to appreciate the depth and variety of the cultures: Jacobson adds, “The dancing, food and sense of community all play a vital role in the overall cultural experience. And though you can’t take photos during these events, you can take a piece of your experience home by visiting some of the local artisans at these celebrations."

Many Pueblos were closed to the public during the pandemic due to COVID restrictions. Events may be cancelled due to inclement weather or other tribal events.

Visit the following link to see a list of calendar dates, guidelines and information about etiquette when visiting a Pueblo:  Feast Days | Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 

Nucleo Santa Fe

A small church in Santa Fe, N.M., has grown up around a unique sacrament. Twice a month, the congregation meets in a ritualized setting to drink Brazilian huasca tea, which has psychoactive properties said to produce a trance-like state.

The Supreme Court confirmed the  UDV church 's right to exist in 2006. The church doesn't seek new members and prefers to keep a low profile. It did, however, agree for the first time to open up to a journalist.

UDV stands for Uniao do Vegetal — literally translated "the union of the plants." Huasca tea is brewed from two plants: a vine and the leaves of a bush found in the Amazonian forest. The concoction contains DMT, which is considered a  powerful and illegal hallucinoge n by the Drug Enforcement Administration...

History of the church: The União do Vegetal (UDV) religion was first introduced to Santa Fe in July 1990. It was part of a movement of people from California, New Mexico, and Colorado. Followers sought a connect with God through a communion with Divine Nature. UDV has discreetly and slowly grown its small congregation in Santa Fe. People of many different races, professions, and economic classes belong to the organization. Santa Fe became the first UDV center authorized outside of Brazil. In 1992, UDV members put up a yurt in the neighborhood of Arroyo Hondo to serve as a temple. Members built a permanent temple on the same land in 2016.

Nucleo Santa Fe can be considered the older brother of the beginning of the development of the first Distributions of Vegetal of the First Region in the United States. Currently, there are 6 nucleos in the states of Colorado, California, Washington, Florida, and Texas; 460 members, with 107 belonging to Nucleo Santa Fe.

Chanukah on the Santa Fe Plaza 2021

Jewish Learning Center Nov 29, 2021

Rabbi Berel Levertov of the Santa Fe Jewish Center Chabad celebrating the start of Chanukah with members of the Jewish community of Santa Fe and Mayor Alan Webber, Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez (US House of Representatives) and Senator Ben Ray Lujan (US Senate) and lighting the first candle of 2021 on the world's first Chili Menorah.

Kwanzaa: A Celebration of African American Culture and Heritage

The Origins of Kwanzaa   by  Shannon Moreau  | Dec 22, 2022 

Kwanzaa was created by professor Maulana Karenga to unite and empower the African American community in the wake of the Watts Rebellion. It’s modeled after African harvest traditions and provides African Americans a way to honor the culture and heritage that was ripped away from them during the slave trade. Kwanzaa runs for seven days, from December 26th through January 1st. The name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili expression matunda ya kwanza, which means “first fruits of the harvest.” First celebrated in 1966, it’s now estimated that 30 million people worldwide celebrate Kwanzaa.

The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa   Kwanzaa is based on seven principles, one for each day of the holiday.

Umoja: Unity Kujichagulia: Self-determination Ujima: Collective work and responsibility Ujamaa: Cooperative economics Nia: Purpose Kuumba: Creativity Imani: Faith

The Seven Symbols of Kwanzaa Seven symbols represent the principles honored during the holiday.

Mazao: Crops, symbolizing a community harvest. Anything grown from the earth’s soil can represent a crop.  Mkeka: Mat, symbolizing the foundation of the past to build lives in the present. Muhindi: Corn, symbolizing fertility and family. Kinara: Candleholder, the most recognizable icon of Kwanzaa, symbolizing ancestry. It holds three red candles, three green candles, and one black candle.  Some online Black owned businesses selling Kinaras: The  Black Art Depot  and  It’s a Black Thang . Mishumaa Saba: Seven candles, symbolizing the sun’s power to return after the darkness of winter. The colors are from the Pan-African flag: red (the struggle), black (the people), and green (the future). The candles are placed in the Kinara. Kikombe Cha Umoja: Unity cup, used to pour liquid honoring the ancestors and for communal drinking. It’s typically displayed with the Kinara.  Zawadi: Gifts, given on the seventh day of Kwanzaa.

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/editorials/the-coming-of-kwanzaa-is-a-celebration-to-appreciate/article_cda836c2-6209-11ec-af60-97baf40e35e0.html

Las Posadas

An annual candle-lit procession, Las Posadas, travels around the Santa Fe Plaza and concludes in front of the Palace of the Governors. The tradition is held on the first Sunday in December from 5:30pm-7:00pm. This version of an old Hispanic tradition recreates Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to give birth to the Baby Jesus. The roles of the devils as inn keepers on the rooftops were removed during some years and added back in recent years. Las Posadas means ‘the inns.’ 

The event is free and open to the public with opportunities to join carols and enjoy cookies and hot cider under the Palace portal.

Dia de Muertos on the Santa Fe Plaza

Santa Fe, America’s oldest capital city, joined in a Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration in October 2022. Some parts of Mexico have a uniquely beautiful and meaningful way of honoring their dead, and now, this one-of-a-kind tradition is a new Santa Fe holiday.

There is great emphasis placed on maintaining ties with deceased ancestors, who are believed to continue to exist on a different plane. The belief behind Day of the Dead practices is that spirits return to the world of the living for one day of the year to be with their families. This time-honored tradition gives families an opportunity to remember loved ones and heal feelings of loss with festivities rather than mourning. It’s a time for joy and for celebrating of the lives of family members or friends, a time to honor them and respectfully welcome them back to their earthly home to share the festive spirit and rejoice with those who love and miss them.

It is customary to prepare an altar, known as an ofrenda, in honor of a loved one. The ofrenda is adorned with special offerings to welcome the spirit home. Food and drinks as well as pictures and favorite personal items are placed on the ofrenda for refreshment after the long trip home from the afterworld.

Canyon Road Farolitos

Santa Fe's Canyon Road is also renowned for the Christmas Eve “farolito walk”, which has become one of the City's most beloved traditions and attracts thousands of visitors annually. The tradition dates back to the 18th century, when lighting the paths to doors with small bonfires symbolized ushering the path for Christ’s birth. Influenced by Chinese paper lanterns, brown paper bags became the famous luminaria that the local community uses to light sidewalks along Canyon Road. The paper bags are anchored with sand, and a small candle set inside, for a luminous outdoor display.

Some refer to this décor as “farolitos” or “farol” which means “lantern,” and “luminaria” means “light”; both terms are used by New Mexicans to refer to the outdoor décor lighting tradition that continues. For many years, art galleries and shops provided refreshments to visitors walking Canyon Road on Christmas Eve, while live music serenaded walkers, and people gathered around small bonfires in the streets for warmth, singing of Christmas carols.

During the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the City turned Canyon Road’s “farolito walk” into its first drive-thru event. Spectators cruised down the lighted street lit with hundreds of farolitos — while maintaining pandemic-safe practices from the comfort of their vehicles. The following year, Canyon Road’s “farolito walk” was open to pedestrians with facial mask wearing encouraged.

To read the full historical essay click this link:  Canyon-Road.pdf (santafelibrary.org) 

Christmas All Year Round

Serving up red and green chiles in New Mexico.

CBS Sunday Morning Broadcast: December 18, 2022 In the "Land of Enchantment," diners deck their plates with sauces made of red or green chiles – or both, if they're feeling the holiday spirit. CBS correspondent Conor Knighton gets a taste of how, thanks to a colorful chile combo, the meaning of "Christmas" takes on a different flavor in the kitchens of New Mexico.

Holy Spirit Espresso

19TH ANNUAL SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE PHOTO CONTEST (People)

"Espresso Bill" After running out of gas on a cold winter night outside Rockford, Illinois…Bill decided he’d had enough of the ‘fourth season’. He eventually wound his way down to Santa Fe, New Mexico and started his tiny (50 sq foot) coffee shop ‘Holy Spirit Espresso’ in 1992...