Vandals desecrate historic cemetery

Posted at: 09/14/2009 4:46 PM | Updated at: 09/14/2009 9:44 PM
By: Stuart Dyson, Eyewitness News 4; Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

Vandals have damaged several graves at the cemetery

Vandals are on a rampage at a historic Socorro cemetery.

San Migeul Catholic churchgoers have been burying the dead at the site since the 1600s. It is a sacred and historic place—but Father Andy Pavlak says vandals don't seem to care.

They have been damaging headstones and desecrating graves in one of the oldest Christian cemeteries in New Mexico.

In all, dozens of graves have been desecrated at the cemetery. It sits in the sand hills at the foot of the Magdalena Mountains in the western edge of town.

"Probably young adults or young people, possibly drinking or that kind of thing, who are bored and just come and decide to have what they think is fun," Pavlak said.

Annie Anaya has several relatives at the cemetery.

"Our grandparents are buried here. My mom and dad are buried here. I have a brother who's buried here," she said.

Father Pavlak doesn't think the vandals are anti-Catholic. He says it's probably anti-social vandalism.

"Certainly you have to pray for someone who does something like this at a time like this because they don't understand what they're doing--I don't think," he said.

The parish is a poor one. The church can't afford security guards so volunteers from the church will try and repair the damage the best they can.

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