Father Jean Marie Latour A French Jesuit missionary priest who first serves the Church in Sandusky, Ohio, and is named the Vicar Apostolic of New Mexico and Bishop of Agathonica. He is physically handsome, generous, and a gentleman at all times. He finds it difficult to make new friends and is, therefore, lonely when his childhood friend and subordinate Father Vaillant is away for extended periods; however, he appreciates solitude in which to meditate and prefers the high, airy places of New Mexico.
Father Joseph Vaillant A French Jesuit missionary priest and subordinate and best friend of Father Jean Marie Latour. Although he is physically unattractive, he makes friends easily and his personality is perfectly suited to winning souls for the Church. He is extremely devout yet impulsive and sometimes too vehement. He frequently battles illnesses, requiring him to spend time recuperating at the Archbishop's diocese in Santa Fe.
Padre Marino Lucero A miserly friend and sometimes enemy of Father Martinez. With Martinez, he forms a schismatic church in defiance of Latour.
Padre Antonio Jose Martinez The priest of the Taos parish. He is a charismatic man with a great singing voice for Mass but actively challenges the Church's views on priestly celibacy. He is suspected of fathering many children and of orchestrating the Bent massacre for his personal gains.
Fray Baltazar Montoya A priest of Acoma whose story is told to Latour. He enslaves the Indians of Acoma in order to keep his gardens and orchards watered. He owns a picture of St. Joseph, which, he tells the superstitious Indians, possesses the power to bring rain. He uses the picture to blackmail the Indians to do his bidding. When a young Indian boy dies when struck by a mug thrown by a drunkenly angry Montoya, the Indians rebel by throwing Montoya from a cliff.
Padre Gallegos The priest of Albuquerque is a hedonist who gambles, dances, and is slothful. He has turned each of the Church's Holy Days into festivals. He is also lazy, bandaging his foot and complaining falsely of gout to relieve him from consideration to accompany the Bishop to Acoma.
Jacinto An Indian guide from the Pecos pueblo. He distrusts white men but comes to respect Latour. He takes Latour to a secret ceremonial cave containing Catholic artifacts.
Padre Jesus de Baca An elderly priest at Isleta who is nearly blind. Latour admires the man's devout nature, which is contrasted with the worldliness of Padre Gallegos.
Zeb Orchard A white trader who tells Latour that he believes the Indians keep a magical animal@ — perhaps a snake@ — hidden in the mountains. When he was a boy, his parents hid a young girl's baby whom she suspected the Indians were going to sacrifice to the snake.
Trinidad A dim-witted student of Padre Martinez who is believed to be the priest's son. He is heavy yet persists in having himself crucified during Holy Week despite the fact that the cross cannot hold his girth.
Magdalena The wife of Buck Scales who warns the priests away from Scales's home. She later escapes her abusive husband and testifies against him. She becomes a devout Catholic and works for Latour in Santa Fe.
Buck Scales A sociopathic murderer and robber who abuses his terrified young wife, Magdalena. He plans to murder Latour and Vaillant, but Magdalena warns the priests and they escape.
