Mission San Xavier Del Bac

We were in Tucson to see family, but it was also a vacation so we had to do some sight-seeing as well. One of the most interesting places we visited was the Mission San Xavier del Bac, also known as the Dove of the Desert.  The mission's of the west and southwest carry hundreds of years of history, of American history, and Native American history, of European history and Spanish history.  They're almost like European castles, in the fact that despite the governments and wars and changes happening all around them, three hundred years later they still stand.  San Xavier was founded in 1692 by a Jesuit from Spain, Father Kino.  Father Kino was tasked with exploring the New World, spreading Christianity, and finding more tax payers.  Father Kino died before his vision could be realized, and the building that stands today wasn't completed until 1797.  In the 100 years between founding the mission and finishing the church, leadership fell out of the hands of the Jesuits and into the hands of the Franciscans at the behest of the Spanish government who no longer trusted the Jesuits.  In 1821 the church became part of Mexico, but with the Mexican government removing the Franciscans from leadership roles in 1843, and the Mexican governments lack of support for missions in general, the church became basically abandoned.  For a long time it stood in the middle of the desert as a home to wanderers and raiders, to anybody who needed a roof over their heads for the night.  An earthquake cracked the ceiling and allowed the rain and the animals in, and the church was nearly destroyed.  In 1854 the mission became a part of the United States and began the long road to what it is today.  It's an incredibly long history with a lot more to it than what I've written above, most of which comes from the official webpage of the Mission.  I spent a couple hundred words on the history and didn't even mention the interactions with the Native Americans of the region, who were integral to the success and growth of the mission.  Anyway, as a place to spend a few hours, highly recommended.  I do not recommend going in the middle of the day in the middle of the summer, as temperatures on the tour can reach a billion degrees.  Best to go super early in the morning or in the winter.  As always, here's 10 pictures and some foolish comments.

The mission's left bell tower was never finished, due to a lack of funding.  There's a group trying to rectify this by raising money for the mission.  If you're interested, you can find more information or donate here or here.

The front is really intricately and ornately designed.  The names of the artisans have been lost, but it's generally thought that the Native Americans of the region played a big part in building the church.

The interior starts out small and then expands as you approach the alter.  Apparently the red, yellow, and green blocks on the wall were added by a rogue restorer at some point.  They don't fit with the overall aesthetic of the church, but they do add a certain amount of character.

The altar is baroque in style, with as much detail and story-telling crammed in as possible.  I think you could say that this church has gothic bones and baroque skin.  

These lions sit in front of the altar, symbols of both the Spanish monarchy and protectors of the church.  These however are not the originals, as the originals were destroyed by a church custodian who believed that God wanted him to take the lions behind the church and burn them.  Which is exactly what he did.

Standing beside the traditional Catholic iconography is this little wooden statue.  Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, one of the first native american saints in the Catholic church.   The story goes that as a child she suffered from smallpox and was left with a face full of scars.  Immediately after her death, the scars cleared up and her face became clear and beautiful according to the priest who was by her side at the time of her death.

Everywhere in Tucson is covered with cactus.  Everywhere.

A family vacation post needs a family photo.  My brother, my dad, me, and my mom.  What a great trip, I can't wait for the next one.