A History of the Penitente Brotherhood of New Mexico: The Sacred as Resistencia

The Penitente Brotherhood is said to have originated in the early 19th century in the region of what is today known as northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. The full name of the brotherhood is La Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesús and is referred to as the Brotherhood or la Hermandad for short. Los Penitentes represent a vital civil and ecclesiastical organization that have guided integral communities in prayer, worship and catechism over several centuries. This presentation focuses on the history of La Hermandad as a place-based and material sacred expression played out in the vernacular world that is authored and interpreted by the people who inhabit it. More importantly, it provides us with an opportunity to reimagine popular religion (religion casera) as a sacred practice and expression rooted in resistance. This is part of the ES@20 Lecture Series. There will be a small display in the Humanities Center on Monday, Feb. 26 through Tuesday, March 5.

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