 |
Los Caminos Antiguos
|
Wayside Excursion: The Penitentes
|
| La Hermandad de Nuestro Padre Jesus, or Los Hermanos Penitentes, is a religious, fraternal order that has played a role in nearly every Hispanic community in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado since the 1850s. Commonly known as the Penitentes, the brotherhood arrived in the New World from Spain at the time the conquistadors. The order took root in northern New Mexico because of its remote isolation and the lack of Catholic priests. |
| As an organization, the brotherhood is almost exclusively restricted to males, although females may sometimes join as Hermanas Piadosas, the equivalent of the brotherhood. While the two will pray together and sing hymns, the women are never allowed into the men’s meeting hall when certain business is conducted. This practice is jealously guarded and never violated. |
| The brothers were, and still are today, Catholic laymen. The most publicized characteristic of the brotherhood is their means of expiating sin. Among the customs were self-flagellation, standing on cacti, placing stones in their shoes, and being bound to wooden crosses. Unlike fanatic cults in northern Europe who practiced self-flagellation to protest religious or moral laxity, the Brothers “sought penance and identification of the self with the Gentle Nazarene who redeemed the world with his love.” |
| The brotherhood's meeting places are called moradas. Traditionally moradas were made of adobe; the windows either were shuttered, carefully painted, or heavily curtained. There is no doubt that the opaque windows helped contribute to the mystery of the brotherhood. Near the entrance was a cedar post that projected a few feet above the ground. During Holy Week, a light wooden cross would always be bolted to the post. Although many of the moradas have fallen into ruin and have been abandoned, there are still a few active moradas in the San Luis Valley. Four of the active moradas are located in Costilla County. It is believed that Fort Garland currently has the largest membership. |
| Today, as in the past, the brotherhood is recognized for its many charitable functions and provided members a means of exchanging information and creating mutually economic relationships. In later years, political activity increased and the brotherhood took strong and active stands on many issues, not the least of which was water rights in the San Luis Valley. |
| The mystery and secret rituals, as well as the practice of flagellation and cross carrying did not go unnoticed by the Catholic Church and by civil government. Condemnation of the brotherhood was initiated as early as 1833 when the Bishop of Durango, Mexico issued a pastoral letter warning against the brotherhood. In the 1850s Bishop Lamy, from the Diocese of Santa Fe, also condemned the Penitentes and directed that they not be given the Catholic sacraments. |
| In spite of the fact that the Catholic Church drove the brotherhood underground in the 1880s, Penitentes were a powerful influence in the communities of the San Luis Valley until about 1920. Although the Penitentes were politically active, their real power resulted from the responsible roles they fulfilled in their communities. They took care of spiritual functions, provided charity and watched over the economic needs of people in their communities. Widows, for example, received contributions of food, firewood, and money if necessary. Orphans were adopted. The sick received care. The members’ roles were clearly defined and dutifully accepted. |
| By the late 1940s, when the Catholic Church lifted its ban on participation in the brotherhood, membership had fallen off dramatically. Then, in the 1960s and 1970s, activity resumed. However, most of the members were middle-aged or elderly men whose activities consisted of meeting for prayers during Holy Week and walking in occasional processions. By the 1990s only about a half-dozen active moradas existed in the valley and membership had become vastly reduced. The old adobe moradas, once so mysterious and steeped in spirituality, toppled inward. |
| Although life has clearly changed in the valley, anyone who understands the valley and its people will tell of the influence of the Penitentes. While there may only be a few remaining in the brotherhood today, the community traditions and practices established by members in the past remain a part of the foundation of Hispanic culture in the valley today. |
|
|
