O
n behalf of the Princess and in my own name I wish to thank His Grace Archbishop Sheehan for his warm welcome to the Cathedral-Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in this noble, historic and beautiful Santa Fe, the oldest capital of the United States, that now celebrates its 400th Anniversary.
This morning I had the opportunity to recall the work of Congressman Pedro Bautista Pino in 1812. He was then sent by Santa Fe to the Spanish Parliament in Cádiz, in remarkable legislative activities. One of his requests to the Cortes was for an Episcopal See to be established in this city; a see that has been here for a century and a half.
At the same time, on the background of these gorgeous landscapes, the spirit of initiative that citizens of Santa Fe have always revealed reinforces this land’s appeal. Santa Fe’s leadership and innovation in fields like arts, culture or scientific research have attracted the attention of UNESCO that chose this capital as one of the nine Creative Cities in the world.
For all these reasons, the Princess and I are especially pleased to make this floral offering to Our Lady of Peace, "La Conquistadora", beloved patroness of Santa Fe and its people.