Father Lourdes F. Costa - El Paso, Texas
Padre Lourdes F. Costa - El Paso, Tejas

Father Lourdes F. Costa - El Paso, Texas

Father Lourdes F. Costa arrived in El Paso, Texas in 1912. He was a local parish priest of the Smeltertown Church of San Jose for twenty years, when the Pope summoned parishes in all parts of the world to build sacrosancts or material monuments. Father Costa envisioned a statue on top of the Sierra de Cristo Rey (formerly known as the Cerro de los Muleros, Mule Drivers Mountain), in Sunland Park, New Mexico. He turned in the direction of the conical peak outside of his window every morning. He always thought that such a location was a perfect setting for a monument to Christ the King, the Prince of Peace. First, a twelve foot high wooden cross was erected in 1933 and a couple of month later it was replaced by an iron cross. In 1939, a 29 ft. tall limestone statue of Christ by sculptor Urbici Soler was erected on top of Mount Cristo Rey. It can be seen from all three states and it serves as a shrine to thousands of faithful in the El Paso and Southern New Mexico area. Consequently, Father Costa had realized his dream to inspire the people who live at the crossroads of three states with a lasting symbol of hope and peace.

Area: Central / Smeltertown

Collection: Casasola Photograph Collection

Source: University of Texas at El Paso Library - Special Collections Department

Reference ID: PH041-03-00127

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

American Dam - East Bank Levee

American Dam - East Bank Levee; view north from Levee. Photo ...

American Canal

American Canal - View north (opposite Jones School); showing ...

American Canal

American Canal - View of location north (Wuerthman Rock House). ...

American Canal

American Canal - View south (Wuerthman Rock House). Photo taken ...

American Canal

American Canal - View of location north (Globe Street). Photo ...

American Canal

American Canal - View of location north. Franklin Canal Heading ...

American Canal

American Canal - View of location north (Hart's Road). Photo ...

American Canal - Demolition of Wuerthman's houses

American Canal - Demolition of Wuerthman's houses; view west ...

American Dam, 108

Workers on the American Dam project place bonded riprap. Riprap ...

American Dam, 109

American Dam workers use forms and steel, anchor bolts and ...

American Canal

American Canal - View of location north from hill. Photo taken ...

American Dam, 110

American Dam workers use reinforcing steel, anchor bolts and ...

American Canal

American Canal - View of location north from hill. Photo taken ...

American Dam, 111

Piers two, three, four, and five of the American Dam begin to ...

American Dam, 112

The transit mixer provides concrete for the American Dam.

American Dam - first work done by contractor, cleaning up trash

American Dam - View southeast from center of foot-bridge; Gate ...

American Dam, 113

The transit mixer takes a tumble during the construction of the ...

American Dam - Crane crossing river

American Dam - View northwest. Crane crossing river. Photo taken ...

American Dam, 114

Forms and steel form the south end of the east abutment. Note ...

American Dam - Driving first pile in coffer-dam

American Dam - View northwest. Driving first pile in coffer-dam. ...

American Dam

American Dam - View from west, along axis. Photo taken on ...

American Dam, 115

American Dam view from upstream with gates three through eight ...

American Dam, 116

Breaking the concrete pavement over the east half of the highway ...

home.search_collection