Midnight Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

Midnight Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis de Assisi is an event. The stunning Romanesque edifice combines features of traditional cathedrals with New Mexican Spanish Colonial art influences such as retablos (religious paintings done on wood). The doors open at 10:30pm and the church fills up quickly. If you want a seat, arrive early. While you're waiting for Lessons and Carols begin at 11pm, head for the Conquistadora Chapel to the left at the front of the cathedral. The only remaining section of the original parroquia (parish) church, it's home to La Conquistadora. The oldest statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the United States, she survived the Pueblo Revolt and brought back to the city in 1692. By the time Mass starts, there is not a seat in the house.