Hikers start the long hike up
The massive monument of Mount Cristo Rey has served as a great inspiration to the Christian population as well as to thousands of residents and tourists for decades. The great statue was dedicated as the "Fortress Against Communism" and has served as a religious symbol to all the people who find peace in its beauty. The statue itself, with its smooth solid edges, is of the risen Jesus Christ with outstretched arms calling all of His people to look toward Him in fear and awe.
The idea of this cross was illustrated in a long ago pilgrimage to Sierra de Cristo Rey, the Sierra of Christ the King. This pilgrimage, the 65th, took place October 28 in the year 1945. This pilgrimage was labeled and remembered as a "Pilgrimage in Thanksgiving for Victory. "The Victory was the result of World War II. The program read "In years of sorrow and distress we have made our pilgrimage to Sierra de Cristo Rey to implore mercy and forgiveness for our sins, to ask Jesus Christ, the King of our souls, to grant the great blessing of peace to all the nations of the world. In this year of 1945 we should observe this day with special solemnity as a tribute of thanksgiving for the greatest victory in the history of this grand nation - America." this showed that the statues significance as a beacon of light to the free world in its struggle to maintain peace. the same program also clearly stated the religious meaning that the magnificent sculpture has to its followers that devote themselves to it. "In order to insure that a lasting, just, universal, and Christian peace shall result from our victory, we must sacrifice ourseves and climb the mount. the throne of love, in wich Jesus Christ chooses to be honored in the beliefs of Christianity to achieve final redemption, is an important part of Mt. Christo rey. For to worship at the statue's feet, one must climb the 800 feet above the level of El Paso, Texas." The program closed with another aspect of the mountains meaning. " May Jesus who looks apon us from this monument with outstreched arms be our lighthouse to guide us to eternal and preserve us from the horrors of another war."
The idea of this cross was illustrated in a long ago pilgrimage to Sierra de Cristo Rey, the Sierra of Christ the King. This pilgrimage, the 65th, took place October 28 in the year 1945. This pilgrimage was labeled and remembered as a "Pilgrimage in Thanksgiving for Victory. "The Victory was the result of World War II. The program read "In years of sorrow and distress we have made our pilgrimage to Sierra de Cristo Rey to implore mercy and forgiveness for our sins, to ask Jesus Christ, the King of our souls, to grant the great blessing of peace to all the nations of the world. In this year of 1945 we should observe this day with special solemnity as a tribute of thanksgiving for the greatest victory in the history of this grand nation - America." this showed that the statues significance as a beacon of light to the free world in its struggle to maintain peace. the same program also clearly stated the religious meaning that the magnificent sculpture has to its followers that devote themselves to it. "In order to insure that a lasting, just, universal, and Christian peace shall result from our victory, we must sacrifice ourseves and climb the mount. the throne of love, in wich Jesus Christ chooses to be honored in the beliefs of Christianity to achieve final redemption, is an important part of Mt. Christo rey. For to worship at the statue's feet, one must climb the 800 feet above the level of El Paso, Texas." The program closed with another aspect of the mountains meaning. " May Jesus who looks apon us from this monument with outstreched arms be our lighthouse to guide us to eternal and preserve us from the horrors of another war."
One of the 14 stations on the way up the mountain
In the past, Mount Cristo rey has been very significant for many different cultures, being the highest point in the tri-state area, it was used for many different things. At one point in time, it was even called Mule Drivers Mountain" because it was a good place for mules to circle and keep in corrals. In another point in time, near the Mexican revolution, it was named after the high general in the battles of the war, General Orosco, the mountain was called "Orosco hill". Now as the monument of Jesus Christ has been built, people climb up not to hold their mules or to respect their general, but to pray to god. By far the most common day that people now come to hike up is good Friday. The main reason most people come on good Friday is because in the christian religion, good Friday is the day when Jesus was crucified, making it the most appropriate day for hurting for Christ up the mountain.