Above is a slideshow of some of the images from the Guadalupe Journey during the summer of 2008. Make sure to click the full screen option (above captions option) to see large photos.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
LA FIESTA!
The dedication of the Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in front of the Santuario de Guadalupe in Santa Fe sparked three days of celebration, dancing, praying and the unscripted passion that makes Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico such a magical place.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Rays of light
Immediately after the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe was unveiled, dramatic rays of sunshine pierced through the clouds that earlier had rained upon the faithful attending the ceremony.
It was a dramatic end to an incredible journey.
It was a dramatic end to an incredible journey.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
THE DEDICATION: IN PICTURES
The crowded parking lot of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Santa Fe during the dedication Mass.
Mass for the dedication
Aztec dancers
Santa Fe Fiesta royalty
People watch the Mass.
Knights of Columbus
People sit atop the hill to get a vantage point of the Mass.
The crowd
The Mass
People listen to the dedication Mass.
The crowd included dignitaries, and members of the Fiesta royalty.
The image of Our Lady was worn by many in attendance.
The Santuario, in the background, during Mass.
Music
The commemorative poster
Archbishop Michael Sheehan blesses the sacraments during the Mass.
Umbrellas come out during a brief thunderstorm.
Red shoes on the commemorative bricks.
An Aztec dancer
An Aztec dancer blows his horn.
The traveling version of La Conquistadora
The artist "Gogy" Farías walks to the altar to be honored.
Maquettes are presented
Rain comes down
The sun comes out
The Aztec dancers lead the procession.
Girls throw rose petals for the procession.
The crowd heads to the top of the hill for the blessing.
The tarp is readied for removal.
The officials gather around the statue.
People ready for the unveiling.
The statue is unveiled.
The huge crowd gazes upon their new statue.
Rose petals are tossed in the air.
Incense to the statue
More rose petals
And more rose petals
The Archbishop and Monsignor Jerome Martinez y Alire bless the crowd.
A woman prays.
People place their hands upon the statue.
More hands upon the statue.
Matachine folk dancers perform in front of the statue.
A girl gets a view of the excitement from a stopped car traveling on Guadalupe Street.
A devout woman touches the statue.
Matachines perform
The sun sets and the party continues.
Drummers perform with the dancers.
The dancers perform
The statue us surrounded by rose petals.
A woman prays the rosary.
A family gets warm under a blanket.
Mariachis prepare to preform.
A dramatic New Mexico sky
People admire the statue.
Dusk at the unveiling party.
Musicians play the fiddle and guitars.
A matachine dancer
Dancing to the mariachis
The full moon rises behind the statue.
Alburquerque Journal article on the dedication
The following was published in the Alburquerque Journal on August 16, 2008:
Parish Completes a Character Transformation
Journal Staff Writer
There was a moment just after the unveiling of the bronze Our Lady of Guadalupe statue Friday evening when Santa Fe's old and new were facing each other.
La Peregrina, the three-foot-high traveling replica of La Conquistadora, was just off to the side looking toward the new 14-foot statue that arrived earlier last month from Mexico to be placed outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. La Conquistadora was made in Spain and brought to New Mexico on the Camino Real in about December 1625.
“It is the old and the new,” Cliff Russell, a parish member and a lector, said during the outdoor Mass with more than 500 people attending to dedicate the statue. “This really started seven years ago, when we fought to get the santuario back.”
Russell was referring to a move that ensured the parish could make sure the activities that occurred in the adjacent Santuario de Guadalupe were more appropriate and respectful to the church.
And with the coming of a new priest to the church in 2003, the Rev. Tien-Tri Nguyen, a mission to become more embracing of the community was set in place, too. Within his first three years, Nguyen's Spanish and English Masses changed the makeup of the church to include some 60 to 70 percent Mexican parishioners. More than 2,000 people now attend the weekend masses.
Friday evening's celebration — with hundreds of people attending and enough food to feed a thousand — was designed to make sure the community knew that the Our Lady of Guadalupe statue was in place to welcome all people. The entire procession into the Mass included not only a host of Catholic priests, but a group of Knights of Columbus, the entire Fiesta Council royalty and a group of Aztec dancers.
Not even a steady rain that grew heavy at times could drive the crowds away, with people packed into the lower parking lot where the Mass was held and lining the upper balcony several rows deep.
Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan addressed the crowd, talking about a mother's love and asking the question, “Who is the mother's favorite child?” only to answer by saying it is whoever is in the most need.
Comparing the ordinary mother to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sheehan said, “If it is true of all mothers, it is more so true of Our Lady.”
And then he asked, “Who are her favorite children today?” He answered, “First of all, they are her immigrant children ... She knows today what it is like to come to the U.S. without a passport,” raising a collective chuckle from the audience. The $70,000, 4,000-pound statue went missing for a day and a night last month, and then was discovered in an El Paso warehouse.
Sheehan went on to say, “She has seen the fear they live in,” referring to immigrants, and added, “She wants us to welcome one another into our churches.”
“Secondly,” Sheehan said, Our Lady of Guadalupe's favorite children are “all the Catholics in our country,” and third, “all of us who live in this beautiful country. As children of God, we are also her children.”
Sheehan thanked Nguyen (called “Father Tri”) for helping bring the statue to Santa Fe, as a round of celebratory “Que Vivas” went through the crowd.
When communion started, the skies darkened, and the rain came, but it didn't stop the masses from coming forward. As Nguyen presented a small replica of the new statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Sheehan, the sun broke through the clouds even as the rain continued.
Mayor David Coss then addressed the group and said to Sheehan, “Thank you for your message about immigrants. We are trying to follow that here in Santa Fe.”
As much of the crowd moved to the upper level for the unveiling of the statue, tables in the parking lot were filled with roasted corn on the cob and red chile, barbecued beef sandwiches with salsa and onions.
Even with so many people trying to get fed, the lines moved smoothly.
“We know how to feed people,” Deacon Anthony Trujillo said with a grin.
Parish Completes a Character Transformation
Journal Staff Writer
There was a moment just after the unveiling of the bronze Our Lady of Guadalupe statue Friday evening when Santa Fe's old and new were facing each other.
La Peregrina, the three-foot-high traveling replica of La Conquistadora, was just off to the side looking toward the new 14-foot statue that arrived earlier last month from Mexico to be placed outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. La Conquistadora was made in Spain and brought to New Mexico on the Camino Real in about December 1625.
“It is the old and the new,” Cliff Russell, a parish member and a lector, said during the outdoor Mass with more than 500 people attending to dedicate the statue. “This really started seven years ago, when we fought to get the santuario back.”
Russell was referring to a move that ensured the parish could make sure the activities that occurred in the adjacent Santuario de Guadalupe were more appropriate and respectful to the church.
And with the coming of a new priest to the church in 2003, the Rev. Tien-Tri Nguyen, a mission to become more embracing of the community was set in place, too. Within his first three years, Nguyen's Spanish and English Masses changed the makeup of the church to include some 60 to 70 percent Mexican parishioners. More than 2,000 people now attend the weekend masses.
Friday evening's celebration — with hundreds of people attending and enough food to feed a thousand — was designed to make sure the community knew that the Our Lady of Guadalupe statue was in place to welcome all people. The entire procession into the Mass included not only a host of Catholic priests, but a group of Knights of Columbus, the entire Fiesta Council royalty and a group of Aztec dancers.
Not even a steady rain that grew heavy at times could drive the crowds away, with people packed into the lower parking lot where the Mass was held and lining the upper balcony several rows deep.
Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan addressed the crowd, talking about a mother's love and asking the question, “Who is the mother's favorite child?” only to answer by saying it is whoever is in the most need.
Comparing the ordinary mother to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sheehan said, “If it is true of all mothers, it is more so true of Our Lady.”
And then he asked, “Who are her favorite children today?” He answered, “First of all, they are her immigrant children ... She knows today what it is like to come to the U.S. without a passport,” raising a collective chuckle from the audience. The $70,000, 4,000-pound statue went missing for a day and a night last month, and then was discovered in an El Paso warehouse.
Sheehan went on to say, “She has seen the fear they live in,” referring to immigrants, and added, “She wants us to welcome one another into our churches.”
“Secondly,” Sheehan said, Our Lady of Guadalupe's favorite children are “all the Catholics in our country,” and third, “all of us who live in this beautiful country. As children of God, we are also her children.”
Sheehan thanked Nguyen (called “Father Tri”) for helping bring the statue to Santa Fe, as a round of celebratory “Que Vivas” went through the crowd.
When communion started, the skies darkened, and the rain came, but it didn't stop the masses from coming forward. As Nguyen presented a small replica of the new statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Sheehan, the sun broke through the clouds even as the rain continued.
Mayor David Coss then addressed the group and said to Sheehan, “Thank you for your message about immigrants. We are trying to follow that here in Santa Fe.”
As much of the crowd moved to the upper level for the unveiling of the statue, tables in the parking lot were filled with roasted corn on the cob and red chile, barbecued beef sandwiches with salsa and onions.
Even with so many people trying to get fed, the lines moved smoothly.
“We know how to feed people,” Deacon Anthony Trujillo said with a grin.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
New Mexican editorial
On Friday the Santa Fe New Mexican published the following on their editorial page:
Sometimes we see the proverbial light, exposing — in the thicket of our bogged-down, workaday lives — a glimpse of the authentic, unscripted, quintessential Santa Fe. And it looks so good!
Such was the case a couple of weeks ago, when a bubbled-wrapped, bronze statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe arrived (in this usually too-full-of-itself, politically correct town) stretched out on a flatbed trailer, pulled by a working pickup truck, to the joyful outpouring of public gratitude, camaraderie and joy.
The story of the statue's journey along the Camino Real from Mexico City to its destination on a knoll overlooking what now passes for the Santa Fe River is the stuff upon which cultural legends are spun, when they are spun well: rooted in tradition, blooming in the often unyielding soil of contemporary reality, producing good seed for the future.
A Roman Catholic parish with a history that stretches way back in Santa Fe, Our Lady of Guadalupe has had its share of ups and downs, political struggles and discontent (it's a living, breathing body, after all), yet has aged gracefully from a church serving a homogenous Hispanic barrio, to a thriving church that today serves a diverse community, including a large immigrant population and shepherded by a Vietnamese priest.
These parishioners managed to raise enough money to commission Mexican artist Georgina Farias to cast the bronze image of the dark-skinned Patroness of the Americas, and they eagerly awaited its arrival.
Hastened and greeted by local faithful as it passed through towns along the famous camino, the delivery truck bearing "Our Lady" finally stalled at the border, where the statue was searched for contraband and unceremoniously placed in warehouse without notice. The "rescue" adventure that ensued resonated among Santa Feans, who, regardless of ethnic background, religious affiliation or length of residence, recognized it as an evolving piece of what would become shared Santa Fe history.
And speaking of that history ...
Sometime in the late 1780s, renowned Spanish Colonial artist José de Alzibar completed a reredos (altarpiece), a stunning portrait, painted in sections, of Our Lady Of Guadalupe commissioned by a Santa Fe family for one of the many shrines along the Camino Real providing respite to the wayfarers, tradesmen, itinerant priests and migrant laborers who once plied this important route.
The artist then rolled and draped the sections of the painting across the backs of burros for the trek to the painting's new home above the altar at our own Santuario de Guadalupe. In those days, it was common for villagers to venture forth en masse to welcome — with song — important visitors (and artifacts) on their approach into town. It is likely that such festivity anticipated the painting's arrival.
The details of that 1,500-mile journey are now lost to history, but the similarities between the stories of that original tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the one that will be officially unveiled this evening at 5 (accompanied by music, dancing and food because that's the way we have always celebrated here) are stunning.
If, for example, the committee charged with planning and executing the 400th anniversary of Santa Fe decided to reenact the 18th-century event for our cuartocentenario, it would look, sound and feel much like the arrival of the bronze Madonna two weeks ago — sans the red pickup truck and other such 21st century versions of burros, buckskin camisetas and rebozos.
This is the kind of event to which we'd proudly escort the king of Spain, or our grandmother from California.
And there are many authentic events in the offing that demonstrate the real spirit of community. The imminent dedication of the Railyard Park and the Santa Fe Farmers Market are just two that promise to bring long-standing New Mexico traditions, gracefully, into the 21st century.
Unfortunately, our city doesn't yet have a completed official anniversary Web site or even an official calendar of events to showcase the kinds of things that would entice potential visitors and locals alike to share in the 400th birthday. Talk about lost opportunity.
Que lástima.
Sometimes we see the proverbial light, exposing — in the thicket of our bogged-down, workaday lives — a glimpse of the authentic, unscripted, quintessential Santa Fe. And it looks so good!
Such was the case a couple of weeks ago, when a bubbled-wrapped, bronze statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe arrived (in this usually too-full-of-itself, politically correct town) stretched out on a flatbed trailer, pulled by a working pickup truck, to the joyful outpouring of public gratitude, camaraderie and joy.
The story of the statue's journey along the Camino Real from Mexico City to its destination on a knoll overlooking what now passes for the Santa Fe River is the stuff upon which cultural legends are spun, when they are spun well: rooted in tradition, blooming in the often unyielding soil of contemporary reality, producing good seed for the future.
A Roman Catholic parish with a history that stretches way back in Santa Fe, Our Lady of Guadalupe has had its share of ups and downs, political struggles and discontent (it's a living, breathing body, after all), yet has aged gracefully from a church serving a homogenous Hispanic barrio, to a thriving church that today serves a diverse community, including a large immigrant population and shepherded by a Vietnamese priest.
These parishioners managed to raise enough money to commission Mexican artist Georgina Farias to cast the bronze image of the dark-skinned Patroness of the Americas, and they eagerly awaited its arrival.
Hastened and greeted by local faithful as it passed through towns along the famous camino, the delivery truck bearing "Our Lady" finally stalled at the border, where the statue was searched for contraband and unceremoniously placed in warehouse without notice. The "rescue" adventure that ensued resonated among Santa Feans, who, regardless of ethnic background, religious affiliation or length of residence, recognized it as an evolving piece of what would become shared Santa Fe history.
And speaking of that history ...
Sometime in the late 1780s, renowned Spanish Colonial artist José de Alzibar completed a reredos (altarpiece), a stunning portrait, painted in sections, of Our Lady Of Guadalupe commissioned by a Santa Fe family for one of the many shrines along the Camino Real providing respite to the wayfarers, tradesmen, itinerant priests and migrant laborers who once plied this important route.
The artist then rolled and draped the sections of the painting across the backs of burros for the trek to the painting's new home above the altar at our own Santuario de Guadalupe. In those days, it was common for villagers to venture forth en masse to welcome — with song — important visitors (and artifacts) on their approach into town. It is likely that such festivity anticipated the painting's arrival.
The details of that 1,500-mile journey are now lost to history, but the similarities between the stories of that original tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the one that will be officially unveiled this evening at 5 (accompanied by music, dancing and food because that's the way we have always celebrated here) are stunning.
If, for example, the committee charged with planning and executing the 400th anniversary of Santa Fe decided to reenact the 18th-century event for our cuartocentenario, it would look, sound and feel much like the arrival of the bronze Madonna two weeks ago — sans the red pickup truck and other such 21st century versions of burros, buckskin camisetas and rebozos.
This is the kind of event to which we'd proudly escort the king of Spain, or our grandmother from California.
And there are many authentic events in the offing that demonstrate the real spirit of community. The imminent dedication of the Railyard Park and the Santa Fe Farmers Market are just two that promise to bring long-standing New Mexico traditions, gracefully, into the 21st century.
Unfortunately, our city doesn't yet have a completed official anniversary Web site or even an official calendar of events to showcase the kinds of things that would entice potential visitors and locals alike to share in the 400th birthday. Talk about lost opportunity.
Que lástima.
Monday, August 4, 2008
The book!
After many weeks of work the book of the journey is finally done!
You can order this preview copy by CLICKING HERE, or wait until after the dedication on August 15th to order the finalized copy that includes a photo of the complete and unveiled statue.
You can order this preview copy by CLICKING HERE, or wait until after the dedication on August 15th to order the finalized copy that includes a photo of the complete and unveiled statue.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Sunday story on the Journey
Today the Sunday edition of the New Mexican shared the story of the City of Holy Faith's new statue of Nuestra Señora de Gudalupe and the pilgrims that accompanied her.
Click here to read the story.
Thanks to reporter Anne Constable and photo editor Clyde Mueller for distilling all that happened on the trip into a nice storytelling package that takes the historic journey far beyond the audience that views this website.
Click here to read the story.
Thanks to reporter Anne Constable and photo editor Clyde Mueller for distilling all that happened on the trip into a nice storytelling package that takes the historic journey far beyond the audience that views this website.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Standing Tall
The statue of Our Lady is going up this morning in front of the Santuario. She is standing tall, held up by a crane for now. There was a small hitch with the bolts that affix the bronze statue to its base (the epoxy dried quicker than expected and needs to be drilled out). But within the next few hours the City of Holy Faith will have a new landmark.
Cell phone photo from the site by Deacon Anthony Truijllo
Cell phone photo from the site by Deacon Anthony TruijlloWednesday, July 23, 2008
WELCOME HOME
Ringing church bells, singing mariachis and shouts of "Que Viva Guadalupe," "Que viva La Virgen," "Que viva Christo Rey," and "Que viva Father Tri" greeted a new Santa Fe landmark today in the historic capital of New Mexico.
Hundreds of cheering faithful welcomed the 12 foot-tall, 4,000 pound bronze statue of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe to the end of a long, emotional and complicated journey that took the iconic image across farmland, deserts, mountain passes and along a historic trail that once linked New Mexico to the old world where its colonists came from.
"We are so blessed," said Father Tien-Tri Nguyen of the arrival of the statue.
The statue had been held up at the border and ended up in a warehouse in El Paso, Texas. At one point it was unknown what happened to the 4,000 pound, 12 foot tall image of the Patron Saint of the Americas.
The arrival ended an emotion-filled journey from Mexico City to Santa Fe by about 30 members of the local Catholic community. The group from Santa Fe was exposed to the incredible devotion to the image of La Virgen in Old Mexico when thousands turned out to see the statue as it traveled across that country. The statue and journey also attracted national attention in Mexico, appearing on news programs and in leading newspapers. At one point the Bishop of Durango said the group of travelers went from being pilgrims on a journey to being evangelists.
Hundreds of cheering faithful welcomed the 12 foot-tall, 4,000 pound bronze statue of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe to the end of a long, emotional and complicated journey that took the iconic image across farmland, deserts, mountain passes and along a historic trail that once linked New Mexico to the old world where its colonists came from.
"We are so blessed," said Father Tien-Tri Nguyen of the arrival of the statue.
The statue had been held up at the border and ended up in a warehouse in El Paso, Texas. At one point it was unknown what happened to the 4,000 pound, 12 foot tall image of the Patron Saint of the Americas.
The arrival ended an emotion-filled journey from Mexico City to Santa Fe by about 30 members of the local Catholic community. The group from Santa Fe was exposed to the incredible devotion to the image of La Virgen in Old Mexico when thousands turned out to see the statue as it traveled across that country. The statue and journey also attracted national attention in Mexico, appearing on news programs and in leading newspapers. At one point the Bishop of Durango said the group of travelers went from being pilgrims on a journey to being evangelists.
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