Fiesta de Santiago y Santa Ana a tradition, culture and heritage worth celebrating

Sculpture from Stations of the Cross, created by internationally known sculptor Huberto Maestas.

A tradition, culture and heritage worth celebrating

SAN LUIS —  Every small town has its own unique characteristics. But the town of San Luis, Colorado is, in many ways, in a class all its own.

Known for being the oldest town in the state, San Luis is also the home of R&R Market, Colorado’s oldest business, established in 1857. With its colorful storefront that is indicative of the warmth and friendliness found inside, R&R Market is a local institution with a hard-and-well-earned reputation for surviving despite the odds.

As one visitor from Boulder commented on Facebook, “Wow. Nineteen years before statehood. Four years before Colorado became a territory. Someone must’ve been pretty tough.”

Tough? Yes. Resilient? Definitely. Life in the San Luis Valley is not always easy. But the community of San Luis is also known for being tight-knit. A town populated by, in some cases, family lines that go back four generations and where people generally look out for each other, both qualities that are rare in many communities these days. San Luis, like other places in the valley, even has its own dialect.

According to former Spanish teacher and San Luis Valley native, Sam Armijo, “Some people in San Luis add an ‘i’ to the end of their words. Instead of saying ‘esta noche’, they say ‘esta nochi’. Some even say San Luisi.” He laughs in appreciation. “You have to listen closely to hear it, but it’s there. It’s delightful.”

While this village of less than 700 people nestled at the foot of the Sangre de Cristos may seem to be a quiet, unassuming place, it is also the home of true treasures, not the least of which are the famous Stations of the Cross, each one captured in life-size bronze sculptures created with excruciating and glorious beauty by internationally known artist Huberto Maestas.

The trail of the Stations of the Cross leads up La Mesa de la Piedad y de la Misericordia (the Hill of Piety and Mercy) and comes to an end La Capilla de Todos Los Santos (the Chapel of All Saints), a stunning structure of architectural beauty that looks out over San Luis and the valley beyond.

Of course, to the people of San Luis and the San Luis Valley, at large, none of this is news.  And neither is it news that this weekend celebration Fiesta de Santiago y Santa Ana.

But both things bear repeating.

This time-honored tradition is in its 170th year and, as described on the town’s website, www.townofsanluis.org , is “a gathering of local generations to enjoy church events, authentic food, traditional music and most importantly, fun and community fellowship, while honoring the cultural uniqueness and heritage of San Luis, the oldest town in Colorado, and its surrounding villages.”

Held from Friday, July 23rd through Sunday, July 25th -- and often attended by many people who have moved away from San Luis but return home for the occasion -- Fiesta de Santiago y Santa Ana will include performances by “Cuarenta y Cinco”, “Jerry Dean”, “Blue Ventures”, Semillas de la Tierra Folklorico Dancing, a car show, two parades, a procession and mass in Chama, a Mariachi Mass in El Convento in San Luis, a book signing and talk by the author, a 5k run and a glorious time of food, fellowship and entertainment.

Fiesta de Santiago y Santa Ana encapsulates the rich history, tradition and culture of the area and is truly San Luis – and the San Luis Valley – at its best.

Specific schedule information can be found at www.townofsanluis.org, in the July 16th edition of the Valley Courier or at alamosanews.com

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