The Spanish village of Chimayo, New Mexico is the home of a small frontier adobe church named El Santuario de Nuestro Senor de Esquipulas. In 1810, Don Bernardo Abeyta saw a mystical light coming from the ground on Good Friday and was told in a vision to dig. When he did as instructed, he found a buried crucifix, which was carried in procession to Santa Cruz. The next morning it was gone, buried again in the spot where Abeyta located it. This happened three times. Since it was clearly meant to be in Chimayo, Abeyta built a twin-towered adobe church where the crucifix was originally buried.

The earth surrounding the cross was said to have healing power, and today many pilgrims come to touch the dirt inside the sacred pozito and view the crucifix. Abandoned crutches, braces and offerings of thanks line the adobe walls. During Holy Week up to 50,000 pilgrims make the journey to Chimayo.

The chapel features an altarpiece by the early nineteenth century religious artist Mollero. This is a National Historic Landmark, and both the altar and the interior artwork were restored in 2004. El Santuario has a walled cemetery, or campo santo, in front.