SANTA FE, N.M. — Pilgrimages to holy sites are part of many religious beliefs, but the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Chimayo, a small adobe church in northern New Mexico, is a unique and mysterious pilgrimage that hundreds of Catholics take every Good Friday.
Some walk up to 30 miles, while others use vehicles for part of the journey. All of them — whether walking along dark two-lane rural roads at night or passing closely by curious vehicles during the day — raise safety concerns that multiple agencies are concerned about and preparing for.
“They need to understand that they need to be seen,” said Ignacio Dominguez, a spokesman for the Santa Fe County Fire Department. “We strongly recommend that they wear brightly colored clothing and avoid dark colors.” Dominguez also said pilgrims should carry regular flashlights to conserve cellphone power in emergencies. A number of state and county agencies will also provide traffic management, emergency medical services and other assistance along the way. The origins of this expression of faith are a blend of Indigenous oral history and Spanish Catholicism.
In Spain, the remains of the Chimayo Chapel, built in 1810, may have been the site of a sacred vision, and the ground itself has healing properties. Inside the chapel, in a small room near the altar, there is a hole in the floor where people can touch the “holy soil,” and evidence of healing, such as a discarded walking stick, is on display.