Death Rituals of New Mexico

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event is now postponed until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Be sure to register for Historian Ana Pacheco's talk on December 5th! Learn more and register to attend at: Santa Fe: A Small Town with a Big Reputation

Death Rituals of New Mexico

The tradition of subterranean church internment during the 17th & 18th centuries in Spain and Mexico was also followed in New Mexico. Special care was given to ensure that the cadaver’s head was positioned to the east because it was believed that Christ’s resurrection would come from that direction. An historic overview of caring for the dead in New Mexico that still reverberates today.  

Join Ana Pacheco, the former Santa Fe City Historian (2015–2017), for her monthly presentations as she delves into four centuries of Santa Fe history. Through her thirty-one years as a writer and historian Pacheco has created books, articles, blogs, videos, and five-star walking tours of her beloved hometown. In the last three decades she has pieced together the puzzle that makes Santa Fe the most historically significant city in the U. S.

Historian Ana Pacheco

Ana Pacheco’s family settled in Santa Fe in 1692, she is the former historian for the city. Pacheco is the author of eight books on New Mexico history and the founding publisher and editor of La Herencia, a quarterly magazine on New Mexico history 1994 through 2009. Pacheco has received numerous awards during her publishing career from organizations like PEN New Mexico and the National Association of Press Women and culture of New Mexico. 

Learn more about Ana Pacheco and History in Santa Fe at https://historyinsantafe.com/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by individuals or groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City of Santa Fe.