Cristo Rey, designed by architect John Gaw Meem, in 1940, was constructed in the style of the early adobe Southwest churches. 180,000 adobe bricks were used in its walls and the 123 local workers were able to produce up to 4,800 bricks daily.
The roof of Cristo Rey was constructed of 222 native pine vigas; under each beam there were four hand-carved corbels.
The 1760 white stone altar screen (reredos) had a long and at times ignoble life - in a military chapel, La Castrense, turned ammunition storehouse, turned courtroom - and then fell into disrepair. Meem designed the Cristo Rey to house the beautifully restored three part reredos.
Meem described the reinstalled reredos as "a magnificent eighteenth century piece of stone sculpture".
Cristo Rey's wood-carved balcony rail, ceiling and corbels.
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Cristo Rey, Santa Fe, NM
© 2016 Sanctuary for Sacred Arts