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Honored Contributor
Posts: 74,508
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

This site, about 45 min from my house, is in the Jemez Mountains.  Originally it was an early Indian Pueblo (village) until the Spamish Missionaries arrived in the 16th Century and established a large mission church and Christian community.  It's now a state historical site.  There are several massive building with walls 7-8ft thick and smaller spaces that appear to be either living or storage areas.

 

I like to visit, squint my eyes and imagine the place teaming with industrious Indians performing farming chores or grinding corn and the friars, in their robes, conducting services.

 

In recent years, before Christmas, volunteers have set up farilitos which give the old structures a magical, spiritual  aura.

 

I've never been there for the night time display, although I'd love to experience it. 

 

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Note: In Northern New Mexico culture, a farilito is the candle embedded in sand in a paper bag.  A luminaria is a small bonfire.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,424
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

@Kachina624 

 

Awesome.    di

♥Surface of the Sun♥
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,610
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Beautiful!

 

I would love to visit New Mexico.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 611
Registered: ‎08-15-2010

@Kachina624  Thanks for this. It is so beautiful. I have always been interested in the Indian culture since we spent so much time in New Mexico and Colorado when we were young.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 606
Registered: ‎02-24-2018

Beautiful and magical @Kachina624. Would love to see in person too. Thanks for posting. Cheers.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,480
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Just beautiful. Thanks for posting this @Kachina624 !

Merry Christmas!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,013
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

So beautiful!  Thanks for posting @Kachina624 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,530
Registered: ‎01-25-2023

 

Beautiful.

Lynn-Critter Lover!
(especially cats!)
Valued Contributor
Posts: 725
Registered: ‎10-22-2019

So beautiful @Kachina624 

Makes my heart say "Peace on Earth" when I gaze on that scene!

 

(I remember making "farilito" bags one year when I was hosting my family for the holiday dinner (but called them luminary back then). I enlisted my poor husband to head out into the freezing cold weather to light the candles and place them up and down our long drive so our guests would get into the holiday spirit as soon as they drove in. Oh it looked so pretty when he was done and I couldn't wait until everyone saw them.

 

Well the wind picked up, and the candles caught the bags on fire! So that was a big fail. Bah humbug!

 

Now I see that Amazon has kits with waterproof plastic bags and LED tea lights. Wish they would have been around back then! I bet my husband does too LOL

 

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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,764
Registered: ‎12-13-2020

@Kachina624  Magical indeed and beautiful.

 

Thanks for posting this.