The Man Who Walked Up a Hill And Came Down A Mountain of Faith.

Every year on Good Friday, thousands of pilgrims from around the state walk to a small Catholic church in a small town in northern New Mexico named Chimayo.

Here is a post from 2008 on the event:




Today is a special day in New Mexico. Good Friday signals for many 'believers'* the annual 'walk to Chimayo', a pilgrimage for many to the small 300 year old spritual town of Chimayo, New Mexico, north of Santa Fe.

Every year on Good Friday tens of thousands of people walk to a church in Chimayo in observance of the Easter Holiday.

Sheltered in a little valley in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Chimayo hisotrically has been known for its fruit and chile production as well as cattle grazing.

The Santuario de Chimayo was built around 1815 to house a crucifix that, according to legend, was founnd in the dirt at the site. Long before the arrival of the Spaniards and Christianity it was considered by Native Americans to be a sacred spot.

During Holy Week, peaking on Good Friday, pilgrims walk miles to the santuario, a few toting large wooden crosses. They trek 10 miles from neighboring towns, 30 miles from Santa Fe and 90*** miles from Albuquerque!!!!!!

At the church they scoop up handfuls of dirt locally dug and blessed by a priest that many believe has healing properties.** The dirt is rubbed on your body or it is taken home. It is a very devout and spiritual exercise for those involved.

** How about this on a t-shirt: "My brother made the walk to Chimayo and all I got was this dirt". I'm bad...I know I'm real bad.

Although El Santuario de Chimayo is the more well known site for pilgrims, another is Tome Hill in southern New Mexico.

Many have personal reasons for taking such an arduous trek. Some walk for miles with 60 pound wooden crosses, some, like the man in the story below, walked 12 miles.... barefoot!!







For those of you that cannot make it to Chimayo, worry not because Holy Dirt from the Santuario is now available ONLINE!!! YES!For free if you cannot afford it.... but a donation is accepted. But WAIT!! The website for the santuario has even MORE items for sale...check this out:

www.elsantuariodechimayo.us/holydirt


Fortunately, I get my scapulars here in town at St Charles.

Happy Easter everyone!!

I'm out.