December 2019 | SMITHSONIAN.COM 69Today, the Society of the Her-
mit’s solemn tradition has faded
almost to the vanishing point,
and might be lost entirely if not
for one family. “I go to Mass on
Sundays and I take my kids, but I
feel closer to God praying in that
cave, remembering that my uncle
used to be right here and my grand-
pa used to be right here,” said Joseph
Abeyta, a 36-year-old resident of Las
Vegas, New Mexico. There are a handful of
other Society members still in the area, but
this past September, the Abeytas were the only
ones who made the trek to Hermit Peak. The pho-
tographer Gabriel Ellison-Scowcroft accompanied the
family to document this unique rite of faith.
The hermit himself was never part of any established parish
or monastery. Agostini was born in 1801 and, according to his
writings, “began to incline toward a solitary life” at the ageWORD SPREAD WHENEVER THE HOLY MAN APPEARED ON A NEW MOUNTAINTOP.
Las VegasPackhorse
stableGallinasEl Porvenir65HERMIT PEAKHermit Trail
Trail headCaveAlbuquerqueSanta Fe AREA OF
DETAILNEW MEXICO★Storrie LakeDriving
HikingVictor Abeyta’s
homeMAP^ SOURCE:^GABRIELELLISON- S
CO
WCROFT