Pilgrims

This is the time of year when you have to watch out for walkers on the roads around Santa Fe. 

Particularly the highways, where we see streams of people walking along the shoulder for miles. They walk in groups, they walk alone, and sometimes there are police escorts, but often not, so you need to be an aware driver.

These are the pilgrims who make a long arduous trek each year on foot to the sanctuary in Chimayo, north of Santa Fe, on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.  It has been reported that tens of thousands of people come from all over to get to the tiny country church.

They come for the blessed dirt. 

The church is on the site of an old hot spring, now dried up, that was reported to have healing powers. The ancient Pueblos considered it sacred and the Spanish consecrated and blessed the soil there, and people for centuries have been coming to scoop up some dirt for curative purposes. (The dirt has to be replaced when so many take a handful at a time. The priests get more from the hillsides around, and bless the re-supply.)

It is serious business, solemn and important to those who believe. Miraculous to those who are healed in some way.

It's a very long walk to get there from wherever people start. Those from farthest away can't do it in one day. There is no place to camp along the highway, and apparently most pilgrims have chase cars that follow them each day, pick them up to take them to safety overnight, then return them to the road to continue their walk the next morning.

They really do walk great distances. 

We are not part of the deeply held faith of the long standing Spanish and Pueblo believers here. We're gringos, outsiders. But this ceremony of patience, sacrifice and intense belief is so visual, lining our roads and highways, that it is hard not to get swept up in it each year.

Benediciones de pascuas. Blessings to you at Easter.