History of the Capilla
Capilla de San Antonio, or St. Anthony, is part of the historic La Cieneguilla Pueblo Site in Northern New Mexico; Just South of Santa Fe, NM.
Native American Indian occupation was from 1300 to 1700 C.E. but moved due to low land flooding.
It was then occupied by Francisco de Anaya Almazàn, a Spaniard, who acquired land grants in or around 1680. These land grants were reconfirmed in 1693 by Don Diego de Vargas. When the La Cieneguilla site was to be sold by Francisco de Anaya’s son, Joaquin; a lawsuit over the land ensued from 1831-1832 between the Romero, Montoya, and Mora families. In the end, the disputing families received their land. The Mora family acquired over 800 plus acres in three separate land grants in 1862.
The Statue of St. Anthony:
According to Sarah Mora-Nigro and Carmen Mora-Lisano, sisters, their Great Grandfather, Antonio Jose Mora, had brought the original statue of St. Anthony (which was stolen in 1987) from Portugal, keeping it at the family home where the community would come and pray. During this time the community suffered many raids by the Comanche Indians and so the community made a velorio (promise) to St. Anthony that if the raids would subside and peace would come, the community would build a capilla honoring St. Anthony. So in 1818-1820 the Capilla de San Antonio was constructed by the Mora family.
Passed on from Antonio Jose Mora, ownership has gone to his son Eulogio Mora, to Frederico Mora, Sr., to Federico’s sister Rita Maria Mora, to her brother Jose Mora, to Federico Sr.’s son Fred Mora, Jr., to Fred’s wife Flora Mora, and currently to their granddaughter Larie Mora-Gunn.
Native American Indian occupation was from 1300 to 1700 C.E. but moved due to low land flooding.
It was then occupied by Francisco de Anaya Almazàn, a Spaniard, who acquired land grants in or around 1680. These land grants were reconfirmed in 1693 by Don Diego de Vargas. When the La Cieneguilla site was to be sold by Francisco de Anaya’s son, Joaquin; a lawsuit over the land ensued from 1831-1832 between the Romero, Montoya, and Mora families. In the end, the disputing families received their land. The Mora family acquired over 800 plus acres in three separate land grants in 1862.
The Statue of St. Anthony:
According to Sarah Mora-Nigro and Carmen Mora-Lisano, sisters, their Great Grandfather, Antonio Jose Mora, had brought the original statue of St. Anthony (which was stolen in 1987) from Portugal, keeping it at the family home where the community would come and pray. During this time the community suffered many raids by the Comanche Indians and so the community made a velorio (promise) to St. Anthony that if the raids would subside and peace would come, the community would build a capilla honoring St. Anthony. So in 1818-1820 the Capilla de San Antonio was constructed by the Mora family.
Passed on from Antonio Jose Mora, ownership has gone to his son Eulogio Mora, to Frederico Mora, Sr., to Federico’s sister Rita Maria Mora, to her brother Jose Mora, to Federico Sr.’s son Fred Mora, Jr., to Fred’s wife Flora Mora, and currently to their granddaughter Larie Mora-Gunn.
Capilla de San Antonio
Copyright © 2007 Steve Mora
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