Mission San Xavier Del Bac
Photo from emol.org. Click on photo to go there
and learn more about the mission.
Located about 10 miles south of Tucson and not far from the airport, Mission San Xavier del Bac is probably one of the best known historical sites in the area.
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Father Eusebio Francisco Kino first preached to
the Pima Indians in this area in 1692. The original "old church" was located
about a mile and a half from this location. Except for one of the towers flanking the front
entrance, the current church was completed in 1797 (or 1783 depending on
your source) as part of a series of mission
churches throughout the Southwest. It is still a functioning Catholic
mission serving the Tohono O'odham, people indigenous to the southern
Arizona area. To put the date into perspective, the building was completed right after the American Revolutionary War. For those who imagine that the American Southwest is newly settled, it's interesting to note that Tucson has been a continuously occupied settlement for about 4,000 years. Here, Candy is leaving the small chapel at the mission. The interior contained hundreds of candles; enough to raise the heat 15 to 20 degrees above the outside temperature which, on the day we were at the mission, was about 106oF. |
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The relief above the main church entry reflects a style of architecture referred to as "Frontier Baroque". |
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This is the courtyard at the rear of the mission complex. Monastic cells surround the courtyard on three sides. |
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Above is a section of wall and a window to the
right of the main church entry. To the left we see part of the roof line. How many architectural influences can one count? |
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Saguaro - the quintessential symbol of the American Southwest. This one is on the grounds of the Mission San Xavier del Bac. Saguaros start to grow "arms" when they are somewhere between 70 and 100 years old and can live to over 200 years old. |
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