Chimayo

El Santuario de Chimayo is a small Catholic church in the village of Chimayo on New Mexico Highway 76 (part of the High Road to Taos). This is a view from the highway before driving down into the town. A mural on the wall of one of the buildings in the church complex shows the church and pilgrims coming for prayer and healing. We are still in the Easter season, as the three crosses to the right indicate. The church sees about 300,000 pilgrims a year, including 30,000 during Holy Week. There are crosses and shrines in many places on the grounds. To learn more about Chimayo and the history of the shrine, click here. This shows the entrance to the church. No photography is allowed inside. Many people believe the dirt found in the floor of one room of the church has healing properties. Many people come, seeking healing for themselves or others. They often take a small amount of dirt home. We both felt the presence of God in that place and were aware of the many prayers of faith that are offered there. We offered our own prayers for the healing of our son, Doug. The village of Chimayo is in a beautiful area of the Santa Fe National Forest. As we drove north from the village, we saw these logs supported by a trestle. As we passed by, we saw they were a simple aqueduct, carrying water across the small arroyo.