The Shrine of the Stations of the Cross
Photo by Jeremy Elliott—jdestudios.com
San Luis has an exceptional tourist attraction, the Shrine of the Stations of the Cross. These sculptures are 3/4 to life size, bronze statues of the 15 stations of the cross with the resurrection being the 15th. The Shrine is located on a mesa (flat top mountain) in the center of San Luis where we have recreated our own Calvary. The Shrine of the Stations of the Cross was built as an act of faith and love by the parishioners of the Sangre de Cristo Parish in San Luis, Colorado. We wanted a place of prayer and solace open to members of all faiths, good will and hope that those visiting will find consolation and peace in their life.
The trail leading to the Shrine, going up the side of the mesa is under a mile long and it culminates at a grotto of Our lady of Guadalupe, the Mother of God. This grotto holds pink sandstone statues of the Virgin Mary and Juan Diego. The grotto reminds us of the special place in the role of our salvation and the love that Hispanics have for Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The actual stations are the creations of sculptor Huberto Maesta, who has his home and studio in Town of San Luis. Each dramatic station is finished in bronze utilizing the “lost wax process.” Hubert’s sculpture studio specializes in high quality limited edition bronze works, to fit the specific needs of the individual or organization. Since May of 1991, the first edition maquettes of the Stations of the Cross are in the permanent collection of the Vatican Museum in Rome, Italy.
The spiritual traditions evident in this Shrine and reflected in the lives of the people of San Luis and the surrounding area have deep roots. The Hispanic, first settlers of this area brought with them Spanish and Mexican traditions of communal ownership of land and water, a strong allegiance to their language and customs, and intense religious faith. We are proud to be their descendants, and we are committed to preserving our sacred heritage.