1. MelissaRomero
Santa Fe Social Doc
I workedwithTomand I do notthinkhe is turninginthe photos
SANTA FE, N.M. – Nestledawayfromthe hustle andbustle thatisthe plazasitsa quaintpiece of
Santa Fe history.The OldSanta Fe GiftShop isa destinationforpeoplewhowouldlike abitof
spiritualityalongwiththeirsouvenirs.
For three yearsJimaChevalierhasbeenmaintainingthe legacythatwascreated50 yearsago by
Santa Fe’sCuranderaof the Heart, Connie Hernandez.Locatedat529 OldSanta Fe Tr., the shop
overflowswithrelicsrangingfromsacredtosilly.
WhenaskedhowChevaliercame tobe Hernandez’shelpershe said,“Ijustfell intoit.Iwas
writinga bookon her life whenshe fell andbecame hospitalized.Herfamilycame tome and askedif I
couldcontinue writinginthe backso thatsomeone couldkeepaneye onher.I’ve beenhere ever
since.”
In betweenherwritingsChevalierspendsherdaystalkingtotourists,andlocalsalike,aboutthe
missionof Hernandezandthe historyof La Conquistadora, ourcountry’soldestMadonna,whichis
housedatthe St.Francis Cathedral of SantaFe.
Believedtohave beencommissionedin1448 Our Lady of the Rosaryhas beenprotectedbya
secretsocietybythe name of La Cofradiade Conquistadorasince the 1650s. For the last 400 years
Hernandez’sfamilyhasbeenapart of thisconfraternityandhasdedicatedtheirlivestoher
preservation.
NevermarriedandwithnochildrenHernandezpersonallyhasdevotedherentire life toLa
Conquisatadora.“She dressesherandbrushesherhair,”Chevaliersaid.“She alsousedtogether ready
for events all overthe country.Connie isfrail now andthose responsibilitieswill be transferredto
someone else.”
HernandezandChevaliernowdedicate theirtime tothe tinyshopfilledwithtributestothe
Madonna and otherspiritual gifts.Manyartisansinthe areahave theirworkson the shelves,eachwith
a correspondingmanilaenvelope fortheirsales.“Connielovestohelpoutanyone she canand for some
she doesn’teventake acommission,”Chevaliersaid.
Hernandezhasbecome somewhatof areligiousiconherself,attractingpeoplefromall overthe
worldwhocome for spiritual guidance.
“We call her the Curanderaof the Heart, because she doesnotpractice traditionallywithherbs
and potions,butshe isreveredasa spiritual healerinherownright,” Chevaliersaid.
She tellsastory of a youngmotherpregnantwithtwinswhose waterbroke atjustseven
months.The hospital sentherhome andtoldherthat the sac wouldrepairitself.Eventuallyshe went
intolabor,as one wouldexpect,andthe girls were bornintocritical care.The desperate motherasked

2. Hernandeztopray for herbabies,whichshe did,andtheymade a miraculousturnaround.Bothare now
healthyandthrivingtothisday,and a picture of themcan be seennexttoa little shrine onthe counter.
Storieslike these aboundfromChevalier’smemoryasshe workshardto preserve aspotfor
Hernandezinanyone’sheartthatwill listen.
“I am not sure what the future holdsforthislittle place.Connie isgettingfrailerasthe daysgo
on and I have mydoubtsthat we will be here ayear fromnow,”Chevaliersaid.“She hasniecesand
nephews,butnochildrentotake onher cause.Connie issucha compassionate womanitwill be hardto
fill hershoes.”
If compassionisa requirementtotake overthe mantle of herfrienditseemsthatChevalieris
well onherway.She patientlyturnsherattentiontoanintoxicatedmanreadyforconversationand
endswitha “have a good day”.