Photo by: Jaelyn deMaria
Sangre de Cristo Liturgies plans to present a unique Christmas gift to San Luis and surrounding communities- the annual production of Los Pastores at Sangre de Cristo parish in San Luis Colorado Sunday December 28, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. The event is FREE to the public and donations are welcome to help cover travel costs.
The play represents the shepherds’ search for the newborn Christ Child and includes music, a good vs. evil storyline and a cast representing three generations. Cast members reside in several northern New Mexico communities. For many years, the group produced the play at Sangre de Cristo Church, and after a hiatus of several years, plans to return this season. “This is our Christmas gift to the community,” said director Dr. Theresa (Tessa) Córdova recently. The current production in this area includes a special tribute because the cast plans to dedicate this performance to the memories of the late Emilio Dominguez and the late Juanita Maloff Dominguez. “They were both valuable cast members,” related the director. “Emilio portrayed St. Joseph and Juanita played the role of Lucifer. According to my late father Arsenio Córdova, and director of the play for many years, “Juanita was ‘type cast,’ he always said jokingly. Emilio served in the cast until shortly before his death and Juanita performed until shortly before her passing March 26, 2021, at which time she lived in Denver with her daughter.
Los Pastores is an ancient play first performed in the Middle Ages when few people could read and the Church used drama to teach lessons to the public. For many years, all male casts performed, and during the two World Wars, women took over the roles, including male ones, to keep the tradition alive. Sangre de Cristo Liturgies has produced the play for 44 years During the pandemic, participants observed the custom of its Christmas gift to others by broadcasting a version on the television station at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. In this production, Maloff Dominguez participated in her last interview, sharing her views of Los Pastores.
Also check out other Performances in San Luis, Arts events in San Luis, Theatre events in San Luis.
