New Mexico statue brought by conquistadors still inspires Catholics

Published: 2007-10-22

SANTA FE, N.M. (CNS) -- Little did the Spanish conquistadors and Franciscans who came to what is now New Mexico in 1625 realize that the same wooden statue of Mary they brought with them to help instill the Catholic faith would still be a symbol of love and devotion today. Originally called the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the statue is little more than 3 feet high, made of wood and hollow in the middle -- so it might fit atop a staff when displayed on horseback -- but it continues to inspire the faithful as La Conquistadora. Her history is interwoven with the Catholic faith in Santa Fe, particularly among the Spanish settlers' descendants who have lived in the area for generations. Every year, pilgrims carry the statue in a procession from the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, where it resides, to Rosario Chapel several blocks away for "Fiesta de Santa Fe." At the end of the festivities, which include a Mass, it is returned in a procession to the cathedral.

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