Fifty years ago, when Sons of the Holy Family Father Casimiro Roca came to the Santuario de Chimayo in northern New Mexico, few outsiders visited the little mission church.

Located in a valley within the Sangre de Cristo Mountains 24 miles northeast of Santa Fe on land originally held sacred by Native Americans, the chapel built in 1816 was originally accessed via an old footpath worn into the soil. Local residents walked miles, often barefoot, to visit the sanctuary dedicated to Our Lord of Esquipulas. Many would take away "tierra bendita" (holy dirt) from a hole in the floor, claiming miraculous healings.

Over time, Chimayo's reputation as a place of spiritual and physical healing grew. Sometimes referred to as "Lourdes of America," the golden adobe church with its twin bell towers attracts close to 300,000 visitors a year, including 30,000 people alone during Holy Week. In 1970, it was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

"The Good Lord listens here," said Father Roca, 86, who offers Mass every morning at the church. Daily, he sprinkles Holy Water on the dirt in the "pozito," (little well) which often has to be refilled several times a day to accommodate the steady stream of visitors. According to local lore, the earth at the Chimayo site can cure pains, rheumatism, sadness, sore throat, paralysis and is particularly helpful during childbirth.

"This is a living place for everybody," declared the Spanish-born priest, who came to the U.S. at age 33, initially working in parishes around Fresno, California. Falling ill in Fresno, he was encouraged to relocate to the Rocky Mountains. In 1954, after spending time in Colorado, he was transferred to New Mexico where the local archbishop assigned him to Chimayo. "I've never been sick in 50 years," claimed the priest.

He enjoys visiting with the people, including the many families with children, who find their way to the chapel one mile south of the intersection of highways 76 and 520. He emphasizes that El Santuario is "A church of the Lord, not of the dirt." However, if asked, he will recount stories of people who have received physical healing after praying at the church.

Two incidents in particular stand out in his mind. Both occurred near the end of the day, as Father Roca was preparing to lock up the church. In one instance, an invalid mother carried in by family members regained her ability to move. And another time, a terminally ill little girl was apparently healed within hours of praying before the altar. Her parents called the priest to tell him that she went straight to school the next day instead of to a hospital surgical ward.

"I was impressed," said Father Roca.

A place of healing

The site of the present church was originally a Native American Indian shrine commemorating the spot where fire, smoke and hot water rose from the earth in ancient times, creating healing mud springs. "There was a spring here that healed people about 800 years ago," said Joe Martinez, 63, a caretaker at the church who was born in Chimayo. "The spring dried up, but the dirt's still here."

Spanish priests serving in the area in the early 1800s noted how local residents walked long distances to seek solace at Chimayo. As recounted in a church brochure, a priest serving in the area, Father Sebastian Alvarez, noted in his letter to the Episcopal See of Durango, dated Nov. 16, 1813, that pilgrims traveled long distances seeking cures for their ailments at Chimayo.

There are differing stories about how El Santuario came to be built. A popular word-of-mouth explanation handed down through generations is that, in 1810, local resident Bernardo Abeyta, a member of the fraternity of Jesus Nazareno or Penitentes, was praying around the hills of Potrero when he saw a bright light shining from a hole in the ground near the Santa Cruz River. After rushing to the spot, he dug out a crucifix of Our Lord of Esquipulas (revered in Guatamala as "Nuestro Senor de Esquipulas," commonly called the Black Christ, "El Cristo Negro").

A procession was organized to take the crucifix to Santa Cruz where it was placed in the niche of the main altar. The next morning, according to legend, the crucifix disappeared from its niche and was found again in the same hole where it was first discovered. After the crucifix was returned to Santa Cruz two more times, miraculously disappearing and reappearing in its original site as before, the people realized that the crucifix should stay permanently in the area. To venerate it properly, a chapel was built above the hole.

In another version, an ill Abeyta was guarding his sheep on nearby hills. While reflecting on his many blessings, he had a vision of his patron saint, San Esquipula, who beckoned to him before disappearing. Reaching the spot where the apparition took place, Abeyta knelt down and was immediately cured of his illness. Sick people brought to the site were also cured, and, in thanks to his patron saint, Abeyta built a chapel above the spot.

A sanctuary for all

Now, people from all over the world visit this chapel built by local people amidst the sunflowers and berry trees. According to Martinez, visitors come from as far away as China, Russia and South America.

In the Prayer Room to the left of the altar, crutches and braces hang from the wall, witnessing the faith of the pilgrims who have come to Chimayo over the years. "This is mostly a spiritual place of healing, but many physical healings have occurred here," said Martinez, noting especially several claims of cancer cures.

Franciscan Sister Telma Gomez, 71, who has served at the shrine for many years, says that people tell her they feel better and "more peaceful" after visiting the church.

"This place has to be special because of all the people who come," added Martinez.

For more information about El Santuario de Chimayo, log on to www.holychimayo.us