Historic Hispanic Churches of Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico

There are many in this land that was part of Catholic Mexico until the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 and The Gadsden Purchase of 1854 brought what is now part of Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona into the U.S.

The Santuario dates from 1816. It sits on the site of a natural spring believed to have healing properties by native people before the arrival of the Spanish. Since the early 1800’s the Catholic faithful have come to the here seeking miraculous cures. Over 300,000 from all over the world make the pilgrimage to the Santuario de Chimayo each year during Holy Week, many walking or even crawling on hands and knees from as far away as Santa Fe, NM.

[All photos Max Vollmer, Click on any image to enlarge]

Interior of Santuario de Chimayo with rough wood plank floor, original hand painted retablos, and vigas supportd by carved corbels.

Present day Our Lady of Guadalupe church in Conejas, CO, known as the oldest Catholic church in Colorado, sits on the site of an 1863 adobe church. Spanish families with centuries of occupation in the San Luis Valley have endowed the church with beautiful stained glass windows, carved wooden stations of the cross, and a handmade altar, all made by local craftspeople.

Our Lady of Guadalupe church, Conejos, CO.

Interior of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Conejos, CO.

Window in Our Lady of Guadalupe, Conejos, CO.

In memory of Teodoro and Epimenia Lobato, in Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

Offered by the family of Josephita Maestas in memory of her husband, Francisco.

The Sangre de Christo church sits on a high hill overlooking the tiny town of San Luis, CO. On the path up to the church are fourteen bronzes depicting the Catholic “stations of the cross” that were donated by a wealthy couple in Santa Fe, NM, who made the annual Easter pilgrimage to the church for 25 years.

Sangre de Christo church sits on top of a hill overlooking the tiny town of San Luis, CO.

Bronze Station of the Cross on the path leading up to Sangre de Christo church.

San Luis, CO, from the hill top location of the Sangre de Christo church. the mountains on the horizon are the Sangre de Christo’s.

The San Francisco de Asis adobe church in Rancho de Taos, NM, was constructed between 1772 and 1816. It has become famous as the subject of several paintings from the 1930’s by Georgia O’Keefe. Two examples of O’Keefe’s depiction of the church, from the front and rear, are included following my photograph.