Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles Asistencia facts for kids
"Los Ángeles Plaza" circa 1847. The "Plaza Church"
(foreground, seen from the rear) occupies what remains of the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel asistencia site. |
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
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| Location | Los Angeles, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°03′26″N 118°14′23″W / 34.0572°N 118.2396°W |
| Name as founded | Asistencia de la Misión San Gabriel, Arcángel |
| English translation | Sub-Mission of the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel |
| Founding date | 1784 |
| Military district | First |
| Native tribe(s) Spanish name(s) |
Tongva Gabrieliño |
| Native place name(s) | Yaanga& nbsp; |
| Current use | Nonextant |
The Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles Asistencia was like a small branch office of a larger mission. It was started in early 1784 near the growing town of Los Ángeles. This "sub-mission" helped the main Mission San Gabriel Arcángel by serving the local people.
Over time, this assistant mission was not used as much. About 30 years later, a new Catholic church was built in its place. This church was called La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles.
Contents
History of the Asistencia
Starting a Sub-Mission in Los Angeles
In early 1784, priests from San Gabriel decided to set up a new outpost. They chose a spot near the Pueblo de los Ángeles, by the Los Ángeles River. This area had many native people who might want to learn about Christianity.
The main mission in San Gabriel was too far away to help everyone in this new area. It took about half a day to ride there. Father Presidente Junípero Serra even visited this new asistencia on March 18, 1784. This was just five months before he passed away.
Why the Asistencia Was Important
The asistencia had two main jobs. One was to teach local native people about the Catholic faith. But it was also very important for growing food. The land had plenty of water, which was great for planting citrus trees. They also raised many cattle there.
All these crops and animals helped feed the people at the main Mission San Gabriel. The priests from San Gabriel split their time between the main mission and this new site.
What Happened to the Asistencia
As time went on, the town of Los Ángeles grew bigger. Many of the native people who had converted to Christianity moved away. Because of this, the priests eventually stopped using the asistencia.
Today, there isn't much left to see from the original site. Most of its physical history has disappeared over the years.
The Church of Our Lady of the Angels
Building a New Church
On August 18, 1814, a priest named Fray Luis Gíl y Taboada laid the first stone for a new church. This church was built right where the old asistencia used to be. It was meant to serve the settlers living in the area.
The new church was finished and officially opened on December 8, 1822. The priests from San Gabriel Mission even gave 7 barrels of brandy to help get the new chapel started.
The Plaza Church Today
In 1861, the chapel was rebuilt using parts from the original church. It was named La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, which means "The Church of Our Lady of the Angels." The word "Reina," meaning "Queen," was added later.
For many years, this small chapel was the only Roman Catholic church in Los Angeles. People often called it "La Placita" or the "Plaza Church." Today, the area around this church is famously known as Olvera Street.
See also
