This stone reredo, or altar screen, resided in La Castrense. It was created by the cartographer and artist Bernardo Miera y Pacheco. The reredo is one of the finest examples of 18th-century religious art in the nation. It’s also the only stone altar screen and largest surviving colonial retablo in New Mexico. Today, this spectacular work of art resides appropriately at Cristo Rey Church on Canyon Road, which features the highest density of art galleries in the world.
Military Chapel on the Santa Fe Plaza
In 1610 the Presidio de la Santa Cruz, the large military barracks and horse corrals adjacent to the Palace of the Governors, was built. La Castrense, a military chapel for the soldiers, was located on the Santa Fe plaza until 1859. La Castrense military chapel was dedicated to Our Lady of Light and was located on the southside of the Santa Fe plaza. La Castrense opened its doors in 1760 to serve the spiritual needs of the soldiers of the Spanish Presidio. In 1859 Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy closed the church and sold the property.
Bernardo Miera y Pacheco – 1713–1785
The first recorded Spanish artist during the colonial era was Bernardo Miera y Pacheco who was a cartographer, artist, sculptor and soldier. He was born in Burgos, Spain. His father was don Luis de Miera, who served under the Conde de Aguilar in the army of King Philip the 5th. His mother was Isabel Ana Pacheco, whose grandfather, don Antonio Pacheco, was governor of Navarra. When Bernardo arrived in New Mexico he became the mayor of both Galisteo and Pecos, New Mexico. In 1769 he created the painting of St. Michael the Archangel that is located at the San Miguel Mission church. Twenty years later in 1789 he also painted a retablo of San Rafael. Bernardo Miera y Pacheco died April 11, 1785 and is buried in Santa Fe.