Pilgrimage for the Faithful

New Mexico is nothing if not complicated. Just east of Espanola, a small town south of Taos  infamous for its drugs and violence, sits El Santuario de Chimayo, a place of religious pilgrimage and healing.

I’m not a religious person but have always been drawn to places of worship. Whether I’m trying to understand what it feels like to have that kind of faith, or maybe I just appreciate quiet, reverent places, I don’t know. But the Chimayo church claims a lot of believers, many of them making the pilgrimage on foot every year seeking spiritual and physical healing. (The church sits on what’s believed to be holy ground.)

The church is unassuming, and mass was going on so I couldn’t take photos of the inside, but it’s lovely – check out the website if you’re interested.

I assume these are crosses left by pilgrims over the years.

Offerings

More offerings.

A gorgeous handcrafted door on the site.

I fell in love with her sad, beautiful face.

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