Historic church brings NM village together

[Dale_M]

In the center of this northern New Mexico village stands a sun-baked adobe church made famous by the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe and the photographs of Ansel Adams and Paul Strand.

But if it weren’t for an annual ritual that has been kept alive for nearly two centuries by the close-knit community of Ranchos de Taos, it’s likely the iconic church wouldn’t be standing at all.

Hundreds of parishioners gathered over two weeks under the summer sun to plaster the thick walls of the San Francisco de Asis Church with a fresh coat of mud, from the massive buttresses at the back of the fortress-like church to the courtyard walls and the tops of the bell towers.

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100710/ap_on_re_us/us_mud_sweat_and_faith;_ylt=As.HInXtSwdf2wr0BhlCvhA7Xs8F;_ylu=X3oDMTJzYWJtdXNkBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNzEwL3VzX211ZF9zd2VhdF9hbmRfZmFpdGgEcG9zAzgEc2VjA3luX3BhZ2luYXRlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDaGlzdG9yaWNjaHVy

Its made from adobe, which apparently involves a mixture of mud and straw, which is baked in the sun. It sounds as if it requires a massive amount of work to maintain. Can you imagine most parishes putting in this work, every year, to maintain their church?

 

[st_lucy]

This is my church of baptism. It is always beautiful to see the people come together every year to recoat the walls.

 

[Bob_Aliano]

My favorite NM church is the Sanuario do Chimayo.

 

[st_lucy]

My favorite NM church is the Sanuario do Chimayo.

Mine too.