Thank you to November’s Sponsors: Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions
A special thank you today, the 1st of November 2023, for the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions, the sponsor for this month’s content.
This month, the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions invites you to join them on December 2, 2023, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM, for an enchanting evening celebrating holiday traditions among the historic remains of the ruins at the Abó unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument: the Luminaria de Abó.
On December 2nd, more than 1,000 traditional luminarias will set the landscape aglow. This is the largest luminaria event in Central New Mexico. In the unlikely event of inclement weather, the event will take place on December 9, 2023. Date changes will be communicated via the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions (FSPM) website and Facebook page.
Taking place at the San Gregorio de Abó Mission, just nine miles west of Mountainair, New Mexico, the Luminaria de Abó will include complimentary refreshments, food, live music, and piñatas for the children. Visitors will be able to walk the grounds amidst a serene display of more than 1,000 handmade luminarias, tracing the outline of the ruins of the 17th Century mission church and grounds. Photographers and holiday revelers will find this a special event as they walk under the stars amidst the flickering luminaria.
Guests can gather in the festively decorated pavilion for warm hot cocoa, cider, tamales, and traditional biscochito cookies. Local musicians will play music that celebrates cultural traditions and children can participate in the breaking of candy-filled piñatas. Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions is partnering with the Manzano Mountain Art Council (MMAC) and the National Park Service to host the event.
The local parish, St. Alice Catholic Church and Missions, will conduct a Roman Catholic Mass at 4:00 PM at the Abó Unit of the national monument, to be followed by a reenactment of a Posada. The public will then be able to tour the Abó mission after the mass.
“We welcome more guests each year to this growing event because it celebrates the traditions of the season in a way that showcases the historical treasures in our community,” said Tom Worker of the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions, the event sponsor, “The event welcomes everyone—we see families taking holiday portraits, couples enjoying quiet walks and guests simply appreciating the spirit and tradition of the season.”
The event is free to the public, however the FSPM suggests a donation of $5 per car. All funds raised go directly to support the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. For more information, visit the website at friendsofsalinas.org or their Facebook page.
For those who need directions, the Salinas Pueblo Mission National Monument at Abó is located nine miles west of Mountainair, just off Hwy 60 and a half mile north on NM 513. You can also find the Abó unit on Google Maps here.
FEE: The event is free. Donations are greatly appreciated.
ADDRESS: Abó unit Visitor Center, 105 S Ripley Ave, Mountainair, NM 87036
TELEPHONE: (505) 847-2585
INFORMATION: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THOMAS WORKER, FRIENDS OF SALINAS PUEBLO MISSIONS BOARD CHAIR (951) 317-2541.
About the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions --The Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions, Inc. is a 501 c (3) nonprofit organization operating solely to support the Salinas Pueblo Missions in its mission of education, interpretation, preservation, protection, and recreation. Visit their website at friendsofsalinas.org or their Facebook Page.
About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.
About Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument preserves 17th century Franciscan missions and the pueblo communities they served. Nestled in central New Mexico, the abandoned structures of Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira stand witness to the history and lives of the once thriving civilizations. From the prehistoric Ancestral Puebloan and Jumano groups to the 17th century Spanish Franciscan missionaries, the returning settlers of the 1800s, and the 19th and 20th century archaeologists and Park Service employees, the people, places, and stories of the Salinas Pueblo Missions make this a special place. Salinas Pueblo Missions was set aside because of the importance of the cultural resources; however, there is a major connecting link to the natural resources. The link is the importance of man’s adjustment to a marginal land and the man-land relationship during the past 1,000+ years of occupation. Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument offers a variety of educational opportunities both at the park and in the classroom. The three park units, Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira, with elevations ranging from 6,100 to 6,600 feet above sea level, offer many resources and opportunities for visitors of all ages to explore prehistoric and historical periods.
To plan your visit, call the park's main visitor center at (505) 847-2585 to discuss your options and schedule a date and time. https://www.nps.gov/sapu