The Penitente Moradas of AbiquiúAhlborn, Richard E.
History
The Penitente Moradas of Abiquiú
Ahlborn, Richard E.
Abiquiu (N.M.) -- Religious life and customs; Hermanos Penitentes -- New Mexico -- Abiquiu; Moradas -- New Mexico -- Abiquiu
Embroidered textiles portray the Last Supper, and a chapter banner,
made up for the brotherhood after 1925, shows the Crucifixion in oil
colors. This banner bears the words "Fraternidad Piadosa D[e]
N[uestro] P[adre] J[esus] D[e] Nazareno, Sección No. 12, Abiquiú, New
Mexico." The title _fraternidad_ is that assumed by _penitente_
chapters that incorporated in New Mexico around 1930, although the
term _cofradía_ often appears in transfers of private land to
_penitente_ organizations.[76] A second banner, this one on the left,
reads "Sociedad de la Sagrada Familia," which is a Catholic women's
organization that often supports _penitente_ groups.
In the oratory of the south _morada_, locally made images merit
special notice. Two carved images flank the entry to the south
_morada_ sanctuary. The _bulto_ on the right, St. Francis of Assisi
(Figure 48), has a special significance. As we noted in the east
_morada_, many Spanish settlers in New Mexico honored San Francisco as
the founder of the Franciscans, the order whose missionaries long had
served the region. The second _bulto_ (Figure 49) reveals clues that
it originally had been a representation of the Immaculate Conception
(_Inmaculata Concepción_). In Abiquiú, however, this figure is called
_la mujer de San Juan_ ("the woman of St. John"), a phrase that
indicates the major role Mary holds for the _penitentes_. With this
image they refer to the moment in the Crucifixion when Jesus committed
the care of His mother to St. John. As introductions to the south
_morada_ chancel, St. Francis and the Marian image are excellent
specimens of pre-1850 _santero_ craftsmanship.
[Illustration: FIGURE 48. SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI (_San Francisco_).
SIZE: 53.3 centimeters high. DATE: First half of 19th century. ORIGIN:
New Mexico, unidentified _santero_. LOCATION: South _morada_, right
wall of chapel. MANUFACTURE: Carved wood, gessoed and painted; blue
habit with brown collar; wood cross and skull, tin halo; rosary beads
with fish pendants.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 49. THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (_la mujer de San
Juan_ [local name]). SIZE: 55.9 centimeters high. DATE: First half of
19th century. ORIGIN: New Mexico, unidentified _santero_. LOCATION:
South _morada_, left wall of chapel. MANUFACTURE: Carved wood, gessoed
and painted; oil colors over earlier tempera; red gown and crown; blue
cape and base.]
Two more images of Mary occur on the altar of the south _morada_
sanctuary. The first (Figure 50) takes its proper ecclesiastic
position on the Gospel side, to the viewer's left of the crucifix. The
second "Marian" image (Figure 51) is less orthodox. Not only does
this _bulto_ stand on the Epistle side of the crucifix but, like the
Marian advocation cited above as _la mujer de San Juan_, this figure's
identity has been changed to suit local taste. _Penitentes_ at Abiquiú
refer to the image as Santa Rosa, the traditional patroness of the
area following its first settlement by Spaniards.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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