San Agustín de la Isleta Mission facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Agustín de la Isleta Mission |
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San Agustín de la Isleta Mission, 1925
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 San Agustín de la Isleta Mission
Location in New Mexico
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| 34°54′32.4″N 106°41′36.0″W / 34.909000°N 106.693333°W | |
| Location | Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Franciscan |
| History | |
| Founded | 1613 (construction finished in 1621) |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Juan de Salas |
| Completed | 1629/1630 |
San Agustín de la Isleta Mission is a historic church in Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico, United States. It was started in 1613 by Spanish Franciscans. These Catholic missionaries wanted to share Christianity with the local Native American people. The mission served as a religious center for the community.
History of the Mission
Early Days
The mission was built at Isleta Pueblo. This pueblo is home to the Tiwa tribe. The Spanish called the area "Isleta" because it was on a piece of land sticking into the Rio Grande river. The Tiwa people call their village Shiewhibak.
A Spanish explorer named Francisco Vásquez de Coronado first visited the village in 1540. Later, in 1582-1583, Antonio de Espejo also came to the pueblo.
A Franciscan friar named Juan de Salas arrived in New Mexico in 1622. He likely built the San Agustín mission around 1629 or 1630. Many people from other pueblos came to Isleta for safety. They were trying to escape raids by the Apache tribe. By 1680, about 2,000 people may have lived there.
Challenges and Changes
In 1680, the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 began. This was a major uprising by Native American groups against the Spanish. The Spanish settlers at Isleta fought back and burned down the pueblo. Many Tiwa people then moved south with some Spanish colonists. They settled near El Paso, Texas at the Ysleta Mission del Sur.
The Spanish returned to the Pueblo lands in 1692-1693. The Isleta people came back to their original pueblo around 1710. A new mission was then built there, also called San Agustín.
Over time, more Spanish settlers moved into the area. The importance of the Native American missions slowly decreased. A serious smallpox sickness spread in 1780-1781. It caused many deaths among the Pueblo people. Because of this, most missions were closed. However, San Agustín continued to operate for another 50 years. It remained open under both Spanish and later Mexican rule.
Modern Times
The United States took control of the region later on. Most people in the U.S. at that time were Protestant. This meant the Catholic church became less connected to the government.
In the late 1800s, a priest named Anton Docher came to Isleta from Belgium. In 1923, he led a big renovation of the mission. He added tall, pointed spires to the church's adobe walls. These spires were in a French style. He also changed the flat roof to a sloped one. This helped stop water leaks that often damaged the altar.
Later in the 1900s, the mission church was restored to look more like its original design. Anton Docher, known as "The Padre of Isleta," served the community for 34 years. He was buried inside the church, near the altar.
See also
- Spanish missions in New Mexico
- List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Photos
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San Agustín de la Isleta Mission, 1880
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San Agustin de la Isleta mission Church, 1900
