News and Articles

Santuario de Chimayó Pilgrimage

Santa Fe, NM - April 4, 2012 –The Santa Fe County Fire Department would like to remind Santuario De Chimayó pilgrims to take appropriate safety precautions during their pilgrimage. Below is a list of suggested precautions and additional information for the pilgrimage.

• Stay on the path marked for pedestrians and follow signage
• do not walk in the road
• Do not walk aloneNotify someone you will be walking and where you are leaving from
• Carry plenty of water to drink and food/snacks
• Dress weather-appropriate and wear layers to adjust to the changing weather
• Wear bright-visible colors and something reflective, like reflective tape or glow sticks that is easily visible from the front and back
• Avoid wearing black or other dark colors
• Carry a flashlight

Public Safety agencies will prohibit vendor set up on all right of ways including: County Road 98, State Highway 76 and State Highway 503. In addition, County Road 98 will have no parking signs for a 3 mile stretch. This change is required to improve emergency vehicle access throughout the route.

Over 21 Public Safety Agencies representing Federal, State, Tribal and County Governments will come together for the pilgrimage. Planning and coordination has occurred as a joint venture between Rio Arriba and Santa Fe County Emergency Management Offices, non-government emergency partners will assists as in years past. The National Incident Management System will be in place to provide an immediate emergency response if needed.

Additional Information from the North Central Regional Transit District

The North Central Regional Transit District will be adding additional buses along its Espanola to Chimayo route to accommodate people making the annual pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayo on Good Friday, April 6.

Two ADA accessible buses will run continuously throughout the day from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the first departing the Big Rock Casino in Espanola at 8 a.m. and the second departing Big Rock Casino at 8:30 a.m. The route concludes at the Benny Chavez Center in Chimayo. Scheduled stops along the route include the Las Lomas Apartments, La Tiendita del Paes and the Santa Cruz Country Store before concluding at the Benny Chavez Center.

Delays will be unavoidable due to the heavy pedestrian traffic along the route. Regular passengers of that route should be aware that buses will not be at the designated scheduled stops at their normally posted time.