Mt. Cristo Rey
Monte Cristo Rey

Mt. Cristo Rey

Mt Cristo Rey is a shrine to thousands of faithful in the El Paso and Southern New Mexico area. Dedicated in 1940, the cross of Christ on top of the mountain was the vision of Fr. Lourdes Costa, a local parish priest, who in 1933 after looking out the back window of his residence in the community of Smeltertown, envisioned erecting a monument at the summit of this glorious mountain. On August 31, 1937, Father Costa met with Bishop Schuler to suggest that his good friend, world famous sculptor Urbici Soler, be commissioned to construct the monument. While Costa devoted his time to financing the project, Soler was studying the site and making models of prospective ideas. A clay model made by Soler of his concept of the project was approved on December 7, 1937. Soler left for Austin on April 1, 1938 to select almost forty tons of the finest limestone from their famous quarries. He cut and shaped the large stones himself as he prepared them for shipping. He began the trip back to El Paso in September. Upon his return, work began in earnest. The base of the monument measures 14 feet wide and ten feet high. It was made to hold six inch by four inch memorial tile plaques made of Spanish Talavera with the names of contributors and sold for $25.00 each. The base was completed on May 15, 1939. The first stone of the limestone statue was placed on May 24, 1939 by Urbici Soler. From then on, until its completion, he was on the scaffold from 4:00 AM to sunset everyday. The statue was ready in time for pilgrimage on October 29, 1939.

Area: Upper Valley / Sunland Park

Source: El Paso Museum of History

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

I'm trying to find out who was the painter of this image, wondering if it was my ancestor, Tom Lea.

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

State Line steak house

State Line 1222 Sunland Park Dr, El Paso, TX 79922

western playland

western play land 1249 Futurity Dr, Sunland Park, NM 88063

Western Playland

Western Playland 1249 Futurity Dr, Sunland Park, NM 88063

El Paso Electric - Rio Grande Power Plant

El Paso Electric - Rio Grande Power Plant 3501 Doniphan Drive El ...

El Paso Electric - Rio Grande Power Plant

El Paso Electric - Rio Grande Power Plant 3501 Doniphan Drive El ...

El Paso Electric - Rio Grande Power Plant

El Paso Electric - Rio Grande Power Plant 3501 Doniphan Drive El ...

Sunland Park Casino

sunland park casino in 1200 Futurity Dr, Sunland Park, NM 88063

Sunland Park Casino

sunland park casino in 1200 Futurity Dr, Sunland Park, NM 88063

state line steak house

state line steak house in 1222 Sunland Park Dr, El Paso, TX ...

state line steak house

state line steak house in 1222 Sunland Park Dr, El Paso, TX ...

Rosa's Cantina - El Paso, Texas

Rosa's Cantina - Located at 3454 Doniphan Drive on the West ...

Mount Cristo Rey

Mount Cristo Rey is on the west side off McNutt Road in Sunland ...

Train, Paisano near Executive 12-1-08a

train, Paisano at Executive 12-1-08 a & b Same train in ...

Sunland Park Mall

The image shows the sign of the Sunland Park Mall, which offers ...

Rio Grande F, 06-26-09

Rio Grande A-F, 6-26-09 Taken on W. Paisano, near Executive ...

Wurlitzer Organ

The $60,000 Mighty Wurlitzer Organ with 915 pipes and a ...

Wurlitzer Organ at Sunland Park Mall

This picture shows the Wurlitzer organ from the Plaza Theater, ...

Christo Rey Statue on Mt. Chirsto Rey

The statue Christ the King was inspired by a papal call for ...

Dinosaur Footprints

This is one of many Dinosaur Footprints located at the base Mt. ...

Sunland Park Racetrack

Working out the horses at Sunland Park Racetrack.

Adair Margo Family circa 1996

Adair Margo, Adela Gonzalez, and Monica Gonzalez (Front) Don ...

Rio Grande at Sunset

Sunset reflecting in the Rio from Racetrack Dr.

Sprint to the Finish!

Runners sprint to the finish at Flying Horse Half Marathon, 10K ...

home.search_collection