I went up to Chimayo this weekend and I always love going in the Nino chapel even though it is a deep well of sorrow, the entire wall is filled with small pictures of children and babies the ceiling is made of baby shoes and so is the altar with a statue of Santo Niño, it’s totally silent and when I walked in there was a lady laying face down on the floor in front of the statue for a moment I thought oh man a dead body but just for a second because I realized she was prostrating herself but she was very still for a long time. But the second I walked in there I burst into tears and I had a good cry. My friends thought the place was demonic but they just did not get it, it’s one of the holiest places in New Mexico but the sorrow is as thick as syrup. my friend didn’t even realize that the Nino is Jesus but whatever. You see what you want to see, you hear what you want to hear, take it from the blind man.
I actually sent him the Wikipedia link and then he got it and he admitted that he had the totally wrong idea about that place. I can understand how it would feel demonic because it is so thick with sadness. Anyway the Nino is all about impossible possibilities so I wrote a song.
Oh if you are as lost as my friend was this will explain what I’m talking about and if you follow the Chimayo Link that’s where I was. Sorry no pictures allowed in that room and I am glad.
Santo Niño de Atocha
we pray our prayers to thee
we are praying for our children
blessed be
we know you chase lost causes
impossible possibilities
Santo Niño of Atocha
blessed be
Santo Niño of Atocha
down in your well of tears
we pray that you release us
from our fears
The sadness that you’ve seen
from the prayers that you’ve heard
you try so hard
to heal all the world