The White Dove of the Desert, as Mission
San Xavier del Bac has been very appropriately dubbed, has a prominent
position on the desert plain in the southwest corner of Tucson,
Arizona. Easy to spot from Interstate 19, it stands, a lonely survivor of
struggle. A struggle still carried on to this day, not only with the saving of
souls and formation of faithful Catholics, but also with the obtaining of
finances for painstaking restoration of historic and priceless art. The story of
Mission San Javier del Bac goes back before the story of the wild west. It
starts even before the American Revolution.
Since 1692 the Mission has served the
spiritual needs of the Tohono O’odham people and their ancestors. Italian Jesuit
Father Eusebio Kino was struck by the stark beauty of this landscape and
was convinced by local natives of the need for a spiritual shepherd here.
But the Mission would experience many fits and starts before there would be any
continuity of leadership. Spain would banish the Jesuits, Franciscan friars
would risk their lives against marauding bands of Apaches, and the fears of the
tribe’s own medicine men would threaten the spread of the faith in what was then
New Spain. The construction of the church building itself was a struggle.
Foundations were started in 1700 and 1702, but with a shortage of priests, and
no resident priest at the mission until 1756, construction lay abandoned.
Construction on the church which was begun in 1756 was finally completed, but
this church seems to have been dismantled sometime after 1763. The present
church building was begun after the Franciscans took over the mission, in 1768.
Records remain sketchy as to who exactly
the artists and builders were, but certainly some of the locals received
training from the craftsmen, and to this day some are involved in the ongoing
restoration projects.
The church is built in the shape of a
cross, with the main altar at the top, and a high dome at the center. The
walls and ceilings are elaborately painted and decorated with pictures of
angels, saints, God the Father, the Blessed Virgin Mary, faux tile, faux marble,
and many other symbols.
There are many hand carved statues of
angels, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and saints which are dressed in real clothes,
as is the tradition in many places. In the west transept is a reclining
figure of Saint Francis Xavier, on which pilgrims pin "milagros", small metal
images or symbols of the miracles they are praying for.
Near the main church is a mortuary chapel
filled with more statues and many votive lights. Outside the chapel is the
old burial ground, which is surrounded by the Stations of the Cross, set into
the walls.
Just east of the church is a little hill
topped by a large white cross. The pathway around the hill features a
replica "Lourdes" grotto. The south end of the complex houses a plaza with
native crafts and foods. The day we were there, a couple set up under the
picnic area near the parking lot and sold yummy fry bread burritos and
tacos.
Today Mission San Xavier del Bac is a
thriving Catholic community, still administered by the Franciscans, with
daily masses, weekly confession, mission school, religious education classes,
and resident priests.
To plan your pilgrimage and for more
information:
Mission San Xavier del Bac
1950 West San Xavier Road
Tucson, Arizona 85746
520-294-2624
(c) Copyright 2003 by Robyn
Dolan
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