San Miguel Chapel — Attraction in Santa Fe

MISSION SAN MIGUEL, NEW MEXICO: On this trip to New Mexico I came with a photographic group from California. We have been traveling, pretty much all over New Mexico for several weeks, now (I should say, "had," as I am back home, now). What do I call it? This church? This place? This National Historical Monument? This work of art? This spiritual center? Or simply a photographic subject? I don't really know what to call it--I'm not good with labels. For me, I guess, it is all of these and none of these. This beautiful place, of all the places I have seen in New Mexico, from Kivas to Basillicas, more than any other has left its mark in my heart and mind and on my soul. Certainly, what has been said of it, before, is true. That it is historical--but you can't take a picture of that. That it is really old--can't take a picture of that. It is the oldest church in the U.S.--well, I can take a picture of the whole church. OK. Anyone can do that. On the whole the church is astoundingly beautiful. It is constructed in elemental simplicity of earth materials into an adobe building. Adobe requires ongoing work, upkeep and effort. I doubt the original architects believed themselves to be great artists or engineers, nonetheless, what they cobbled together stands today, hundreds of years later, still as beautiful, maybe more so, because of its rarity. When I photograph it, if I stop too long to examine it for all these lines and beauty, I loose myself in it, just as I would a painting at the National Gallery. So, I find my center and join it with what I see through my lens...then...release. It's done. I hope that my photographs let you see what I see. When I look at your photographs, I look to see who you are; I look into your eye, your photographs to find that spark, that part of you that I can join with and ... understand. I believe in that way photography can bring peace. Peace to you all. I hope all of you find the peace at San Miguel Chapel that I found there. (I will post photos later after I...

This is the oldest church in America, built by American Indians who were Roman Catholic. It’s an attractive little adobe structure, with some art inside and information about the church.

There is a nice gift shop attached to the church.

Holes in the ground and walls show what used to be on the site before the church had its modern flooring.

I’m pretty sure the information the church presents about the bell is incorrect. From what I understand the bell was made in the 1800s, but the date inscribed on the bell faded or was modified so the 8 appears to be a 3, making it look like a date in the 1300s. Since the bell was made in the 1800s, the information about Spaniards melting down their jewelry to build a bell to warn them of attacking Moors is clearly false. The Moors were long gone from Spain by the 1800s. I don’t know why the oldest church in America feels the need to use a made up tourist attraction; it’s a plenty good tourist attraction already. Maybe it has stopped making those claims about the bell since I was there.

I think this is a still a working church, with a priest and a congregation who go there to worship. So please don’t be distracting when people are there to worship. The men who built it built it not for tourists but for God, and their...

Yesterday me and my family were having a family outing at Santa Fe. We had just finished earing pizza and saw the sign for the church "Oldest Church in Santa Fe." We decided to check it out after we were done eating. There was a group of people inside the church and we went in with them. I did notice a "closed" sign but didn't think anything of it. We walked inside and were able to look around a bit until we were met with this older woman who took one look at my mom and rudely said to her "The church is closed and we don't accept food and drinks here." Taken aback my mom said ok and we went to gather my father who has to walk with a cane at the back of the church. While we were talking to him my mom tells him we have to go and the woman ended up following us and told us "Yeah if it spills it will make a mess now the church is closed" as if we didn't hear her the first time. She then waved her hands up like we were being "herded" out of the church like we were animals. Never in my life have I felt unwelcomed AND racially profiled in the HOUSE OF...