Mission San Xavier del Bac facts for kids
San Xavier del Bac
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 Location in Arizona
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| Location | near Tucson, Arizona |
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| Coordinates | 32°06′25″N 111°00′29″W / 32.107°N 111.008°W |
| Name as founded | La Misión San Xavier del Bac |
| English translation | The Mission of Saint Xavier of the Water |
| Patron | Saint Francis Xavier, SJ |
| Nickname(s) | "The White Dove of the Desert" |
| Founding date | 1692 (current structure dates to 1783–1797) |
| Founding priest(s) | Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, SJ |
| Native tribe(s) Spanish name(s) |
Tohono O'odham joined by Yaqui |
| Governing body | San Xavier Indian Reservation |
| Current use | Parish Church |
| Designated | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference no. | 66000191 |
| Designated | October 9, 1960 |
Mission San Xavier del Bac (Spanish: La Misión de San Xavier del Bac) is a very old Catholic mission in Arizona. It is about 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Tucson, Arizona. The mission is on the Tohono O'odham Nation's San Xavier Indian Reservation.
Father Eusebio Kino started the mission in 1692. It was built in an area where the Sobaipuri O'odham people had lived for hundreds of years. They lived near the Santa Cruz River. The mission was named after Francis Xavier, a Christian missionary. He helped start the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Europe.
The first church was built north of the one you see today. This first church was used until it was destroyed by an Apache raid in 1770.
The mission building that stands now was built between 1783 and 1797. This makes it the oldest European building in Arizona. The O'odham people did most of the work to build it. Mission San Xavier del Bac is a great example of Spanish Colonial architecture. About 200,000 people visit it every year. Many people also come here on a pilgrimage, some on horseback.
The O'odham people call the area "goes in" or "comes in." This means "where the water goes in." The Santa Cruz River used to flow all year here. It was very important for the community. Now, it only flows for part of the year.
Contents
History of the Mission
Father Eusebio Kino started Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1692. He created many Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert. Father Kino was a Jesuit priest from Italy. He often visited and preached in this area. At that time, it was part of New Spain.
Work on the first mission church began on April 28, 1700. This church was about 2 miles (3 km) from where the mission is today. Father Kino wrote in his diary:
- "On the twenty-eighth we began the foundations of a very large and capacious church and house of San Xavier del Bac."
- "Many people worked with much pleasure and zeal."
- "Some dug for the foundations, others hauled many good stones."
The stones came from a small hill nearby. King Charles III of Spain did not trust the Jesuits. In 1767, he made them leave all Spanish lands in the Americas. He replaced them with Franciscan priests.
The first church was often attacked by Apache groups. It was finally destroyed around 1770. From 1775, the mission community was better protected. This was because the Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón was built about 7 miles (11 km) away.
The mission building you see today was built by Franciscan fathers Juan Bautista Velderrain and Juan Bautista Llorenz. They worked on it between 1783 and 1797. They borrowed money from a rancher to pay for it. They hired an architect named Ignacio Gaona. Many O'odham people helped build the church.
After Mexico became independent in 1821, the mission was managed from Mexico City. In 1828, the Mexican government made all Spanish-born priests leave. The last Franciscan priest left San Xavier in 1837.
The mission was left empty and started to fall apart. Local Native Americans tried to protect what they could. In 1853, the Gadsden Purchase made San Xavier part of the Territory of Arizona in the United States.
The church opened again in 1859. The Santa Fe Diocese took charge of it. They paid for repairs and sent a priest to serve the community. In 1868, the Diocese of Tucson was created. They made sure regular church services were held again.
In 1872, the Sisters of St. Joseph opened a school at the mission. They taught the Tohono O'odham children. More classrooms were added in 1900. The Franciscans returned to the mission in 1913. In 1947, they built a new school next to the church for local children.
Restoring the Mission
In recent years, a lot of work has been done to restore the mission. This has brought its beautiful interior back to how it looked long ago. In the 1980s, a type of stucco was used that trapped water inside the church. This damaged the artwork inside.
Now, this old stucco is being removed. It is being replaced with traditional mud plaster. This plaster includes pulp from the prickly pear cactus. This new material lets water escape better. It helps keep the church healthy. The inside of the mission church now looks much like it did originally. It has bright colors and amazing designs.
Mission Architecture
San Xavier has a beautiful white exterior. It is inspired by Moorish architecture. The entrance is very fancy. When visitors walk through the big, carved mesquite-wood doors, they often notice two things. First, how cool it is inside. Second, the amazing colors of the paintings, carvings, and statues. The mission's art mixes styles from New Spain and Native American art.
The church's floor plan looks like a classic Latin cross. It has a main aisle that leads to the main altar. There are chapels at each end of the transept (the cross-arm part). The dome above the transept is 52 feet (16 m) high. It is held up by arches. At least three different artists painted the artwork inside the church. Many people think it is the best example of Spanish mission architecture in the United States.
The Mission Today
Unlike other Spanish missions in Arizona, San Xavier is still active today. Franciscan priests still run it. It continues to serve the local Native American community who built it. The mission is open to the public every day. However, it closes for church services. The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity have taught at the mission school since 1872. They still live and work there.
Mission San Xavier del Bac was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The San Xavier Festival happens on the Friday evening after Easter. It includes a torch-light parade with members of the Tohono O'odham and Yaqui tribes.
Nearby Communities
Martinez Hill
East of the San Xavier Mission is Martinez Hill. This hill is named after Jose Maria Martinez. He was born in the early 1800s. He later became a military leader in Tucson. In 1838, he retired and was given land in Tubac. After an Apache attack, his family moved to San Xavier. There, he was given land by the chief. The hill is either on or very close to this land. Martinez became a cattle rancher. He died in 1868 from wounds from an Apache attack.
Los Reales
North of San Xavier Mission was a community called Los Reales. This community likely existed from the early 1860s to about 1912. It was started by a miner named S.R. Domingo. He built a home and a foundry near the Santa Cruz River. Other people came and started farms in the fertile valley. They built adobe homes and grew crops.
In 1874, President Ulysses S. Grant created the San Xavier Indian Reservation. All non-Native Americans had to leave the Indian lands. These people then started a new Los Reales community. It was on the east bank of the river. This new community had two stores and a blacksmith shop. The Los Reales Cemetery was also on that side of the river. It is believed that the farming village ended around 1912. This was because a nearby farm took too much water from the river. Today, only parts of the cemetery and a street called Los Reales Road remain.
Images for kids
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Mission garden
See also
In Spanish: Misión de San Xavier del Bac para niños
