Between the cosmopolitan grandeur of Mission Santa Barbara and the pastoral
serenity of Mission La Purissima lies little Mission Santa Ines. As
unlikely as the Danish colony of Solvang which surrounds it, at the time it was
built it was expected to become the most successful of the missions. The
subsequent series of unfortunate events prevented this.
Founded on September 17, 1804 by the new Padre Presidente of the Franciscans,
Padre Estevan Tapis, the "Mission of the Passes" became the 19th California
Mission. The Hidalgo uprising of 1810, giving Mexico its independence from
Spain, the great earthquake of 1812 which devastated all the missions, and the
secularization of 1834 did not give the new mission much time to live up to its
promise. In the few years it did have, the mission saw over 1,000
baptisms, hundreds of marriages and some of the earliest industrial sites in
California.
Joseph Chapman was a craftsman from Maine. In 1818 he sailed west to
Hawaii where he was forced into service as a crewmember for the Argentine pirate
Hippolyte de Bouchard. When Bouchard stopped to raid the Ortega
Ranch, near the mission, several crewmembers were captured as well as several
soldiers. In the exchange of prisoners Chapman was overlooked or refused
and remained in the custody of the soldiers. When the new governor
discovered Chapman's mechanical inclination and craftsmanship, he pardoned the
prisoner and turned him over to the padres at Mission Santa Ines.
There, Chapman studied and embraced the Catholic faith and went on to design
and build a New England style fulling mill, which the padres had
long envisioned, for treating woolen cloth. He married a daughter of the
Ortega family, whose ranch he had helped raid, and they settled near the
mission, continuing his work there.
While La Purissima has had massive restoration due to federal and state
funding, Mission Santa Ines has had to rely on the generosity of visitors and
benefactors. It has been in continuous use as a Catholic Church, serving
the surrounding community of Solvang, a Danish colony established over 100 years
after the founding of the mission. Danish settlers wanted to build a
community where young Danish Americans could be trained in and preserve the
Danish lifestyle. The idea worked, and visitors can marvel at Danish
architecture, costume, handcrafts and hospitality while wandering the streets
and cobblestone alleys of the town. The locals can even be overheard
speaking the language.
La Purisima Mission State Historic Park, Lompoc,
California
Rocky beaches, farms, sandy beaches, ranches, the drive to La Purisima
Mission State Historic Park from Los Angeles reminds me of everything I
like about Southern California. Entering the park itself is like
stepping back in time.
Sheep and goats fill the corrals, turkeys gobble and horses graze. We
looked around for an indian shepherd, or a neophyte coming to gather
the dried hides to be tanned, but apparently this was a non-living history
day. The pastoral quiet was soothing.
The advantage to being a State Historic Park and receiving grant funding is
that La Purisima has enjoyed massive restoration. Beginning in 1935, the
California Conservation Corps performed painstaking research and completely
restored the buildings using the original construction methods, adobe bricks,
clay tiles, handmade furniture.
Many living history events are held here throughout the year, giving visitors
the opportunity to see first hand what life would have been like when the
mission was at its peak. Docents and reenactors demonstrate mission crafts
and skills, from grinding corn and making tortillas, to spinning wool and soap
and candlemaking.
The tallow vats above were used to melt animal fat in preparation for making
soap and candles. An abalone shell to hold holy water at the entrance to
the church is representative of California's coastal bounty. The church
itself is sparse, much as it must have been when the 11th Mission was founded
and the faithful stood and knelt or sat on the bare floor.
Extreme would be the word to describe the history of La Purisima. Just
one year after its founding on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December
8, 1797, construction began on a new church to accommodate the over 900
residents. By 1804, the neophyte population had reached 1,520.
Scandal being nothing new to the Catholic Church, accusations of mistreatment
of the indians brought an investigation of the Franciscan padres and the
military by the Spanish Governor. It was concluded that the accusations
were unfounded.
Extreme prosperity was followed by extreme disaster. In 1804, death and
disease began to claim the lives of the indian converts. The massive
earthquake of 1812 and the heavy rains that followed levelled the mission and
most of its outbuildings.
The Mission was rebuilt at its present location, north of the original.
The new construction marked a departure from the traditional quadrangle mission
plan. Working with the natural contours of the land, the buildings were
laid out in a line. This allowed for quick escape as well as preserving
the farmland. Extreme prosperity returned.
Under the direction of Father Mariano Payeras the mission continued to enjoy
peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, after his death in 1823, the Chumash
began to revolt against the military and continued until the Mexican government
took control of the property in 1834.
La Purisima was sold at auction and fell into ruin.
Fortunes began to improve in 1903 when then owner Union Oil Company,
remarkably, realized that the La Purisima grounds were an important part of
California's history. It donated much of the land to the State of
California and restoration began.
Today, La Purisima Mission is building a new Visitor Center Complex,
including a museum, exhibits and gift shop. Many school programs and
activities are offered, as well as numerous living history events and an annual
art show and sale.
Mission San Juan Capistrano - San Juan Capistrano,
California
The fragrance of thousands of blooms fills the air, floating
on a cool ocean breeze. The ruins of a magnificent cathedral give
proud testimony to a transforming faith. Is this Greece?
Turkey? Egypt? No. This is the coast of Southern
California, and the ruins are the Great Stone Church of Mission San Juan
Capistrano.
This journey was more like a family fun day. We boarded the Amtrak
Coaster in San Diego, found some seats with a table, and ate our lunch. In
Oceanside, we switched to the Pacific Surfliner, for the short hop to San Juan
Capistrano. The mission is a pleasant stroll from the station, past
upscale eateries, and through enticing boutiques and galleries. This
location was likely as alluring in 1775, when the Jewel of the Missions was
established, as it is today. The Mission was immediatly successful.
The Great Stone Church, begun in 1797, boasted 8 domes and an arched
roof. Less than ten years after its completion, the devastating 1812
earthquake struck, during Mass, killing 40 people. One dome and the
sanctuary wall still stand, and on occasion a reclusive artist can be found in
its shadow, capturing the haunting and beautiful architecture on
canvas.
The fabulous Mission bells, which welcome the swallows back to their mud
nests in the old stone church every spring, have their own
story. Eight days after Fr. Fermin Lasuen's party arrived in 1775 to
establish the mission here, indians attacked the mission at San Diego,
killing the padre there. The bells were quickly buried and the party
fled to the presidio. The following year, when Fr. Serra arrived, the
bells were found, undisturbed. They were hung from trees until the 120
foot bell tower in the Great Stone Church was completed and they hung there
until they were damaged in the 1812 earthquake. Recast in the year 2000,
they once again celebrate the St. Joseph's Day (March 19) return of their old
friends, the swallows.
Adding insult to injury, only six years after the earthquake, the pirate
Hippolyte Bouchard attacked the Mission. After sacking the town for food
and provisions, the mission's winery was discovered, and revelry ensued until
the wine store was depleted. The pirates moved on. A large brick
wine vat is pictured above, center. The Pirate Festival is one of many
historical reenactments held yearly at the Mission.
San Juan Capistrano is probably one of the best and longest restored of
the missions. Excavations as early as the 1930's turned up tallow vats
used for making soap and candles, dyeing vats for dyeing wool and furnaces
for forging metal tools and hardware. The restored industrial center is a
tribute to the engineering skills and the building efficiency of the
Franciscan missionaries.
The mission had to grow all its own food, and the active garden displays are
interesting. The olive mill stone and the grist mill were operated by
young indian boys; the stones pressed oil from mission olives and ground
grain for flour.
Father Serra's Chapel is the original mission church. It withstood the
1812 earthquake, and was once again used as the mission church after the Great
Stone Church fell. The chapel is so named because it is the only surviving
church where the mission presidente said Mass. Ongoing conservation
efforts in 2008 will be focusing on the 400 year old hand carved retablo with
gold leaf overlay, from Barcelona, Spain.
The mission still ministers to the spiritual needs of thousands of Southern
Californians and tourists. A replica Basilica stands nearby and functions
as the parish church. Something is always happening at the Mission
itself. The second Saturday each month is Living History Day, with
re-enactments, demonstrations and costumes from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Concerts include the Capistrano Valley Symphony Pops, Jazz, Swing and Classic
Rock Bands. For more information and to plan your pilgrimage:
Mission San Diego de Alcala - San
Diego, California
First Mission, first cemetary, first martyr. Mission San Diego was the
location for all of these firsts in California. Established on Presidio
Hill on July 16, 1769, the mission was almost lost before it began. After
a difficult winter, the padres and soldiers were near starvation. Fr.
Serra enlisted the entire group to offer a novena to St. Joseph, the patron of
their expedition. On March 19, 1770, the Feast of St. Joseph and the last
day of the novena, a supply ship was forced to divert from Monterey to San Diego
due to the loss of its anchor. The padres and soldiers were able to
procure desperately needed supplies and the mission was saved. It was
relocated to its present site, due to lack of fresh water, in August of
1774. The mission was destroyed by Indian attack in 1775, Fray Luis Jayme,
then pastor, was found beaten to death near the river, California's first
martyr. Fray Junipero Serra himself
directed reconstruction in 1776. The size of the church was
determined by the height of the trees available for beams, so it was made long
and narrow. After the Indian attack, the windows were set high in the
walls for protection and also to prevent the walls from collapsing under the
weight of the adobe. The windows were specially treated rawhide instead of
glass.
After U.S. soldiers took possession of the mission in 1847, a second floor
was added to the church for use as barracks, the ground floor was used as a
stable. The high windows became doors, with ladders to get to the
ground
We began our pilgrimage to San Diego on a warm, sunny October day. The
Amtrak ride was pleasant. We walked the 8 blocks to our hostel in the
"gaslamp quarter" and checked into a 4 bunk room which we had all to
ourselves the first night. A nearby grocery store supplied our nutritional
needs for the weekend and we cooked up a soul satisfying dinner of sloppy
joes. We played with puzzles and drank hot chocolate and went to bed.
In the morning, we had pancakes, courtesy of the hostel, then packed our
lunch and hopped the bus back to the train station to catch the trolley to City
College. Ignorant that there was a bus directly to Balboa Park, we walked
several blocks, enjoying the green grass, trees and the excitement of the low
flying planes, which to my young companion were all Jay Jay the Jet Plane, of
course. At the park, we watched many artists painting and sketching, and
felt like we were in a fantasy world. We got into the model railroad
museum free with our hostel receipt and probably could have spent the entire
morning there, but someone said the zoo was free so we had to head up
there. But not before we played in the Thomas the train playroom. We
wandered through the Spanish Art Village to the Miniature Railway, which was
closed, and to the zoo, where we were informed that yesterday was the free day,
not today. I was very disappointed, mostly because I was tired and
hungry. My companion couldn't have cared less. We walked back to the
fountain by the science center and had our lunch of cream cheese sandwiches and
grapes. Then we asked a lady with a little boy if there was a play park
nearby. She directed us right past the science center, through the parking
lot to the "tot lot" where we played for some time. Right in front of the
park we discovered a bus stop and a little old Italian man who helped us get off
at the right stop to catch the trolley into Old Town this time.
From there we caught another trolley to near Mission San Diego.
It was still a walk of about 6 blocks, but I put myself in pilgrimage mode and
enjoyed watching my companion wear himself out running on the grass and climbing
up and down the little hills. I felt more humble by the time we got to the
mission. I tried to imagine indians filling the length of the Basilica,
but really, I think the church was much smaller to begin with. The
Basilica is the 3rd church on the site and I can definitely see it full when it
was use as a stable and barracks. I made sure to turn my flash off in the
church, but put it back on auto for everything else. The first thing I
noticed when entering the mission courtyard was the excavation being conducted
by the Center for Spanish Colonial Research on the west wing of the old mission
quadrangle. I love rock piles, and am looking forward to checking back on
this one's progress. I was impressed by the size of Padre Serra's house at
this mission. It was by far the largest padre's quarters I have seen
so far at the California missions and included a sleeping loft for a second
padre.
The church maintains many of its original components even after much
restoration. The wooden beams over the doorways, adobe bricks in the
baptistry arch and dark floor tiles made by the padres and indians are all
original to the church.
Shell detail above doorway. All wall and cieling decor was handpainted
by the indians. Outdoor tile - St. Francis' companions carry the dying
saint up the hill to Assissi. Mission bench and tile of Santa
Ana.
Here the outdoor stations are done in a lovely mosaic. There is a full
size reproduction Pieta, and delicate paper models of each of the 21 California
missions.
This compact portable "altar", rosary, breviary and hymnal are on display in
the mission museum. Altar in the padres' chapel. Below, original
choir stalls and bronze pieta.
Home again, home again...I started my rosary on the way back to the trolley
station, my companion once again running, crawling and climbing all the
way. Right across from our trolley stop, he was driving his toy train
through the grass and I was waiting for him a few yards away. A lovely,
trim jogger passed right by me, looked at him and stopped in her tracks, asking
where his mommy was! I piped up dryly "Oh, somebody just left him
here". It shames me how horrid I can be sometimes. I could have at
least put a good humor on it, being as I was saying the rosary! The poor
woman just said, "Oh, sorry", and ran off. We made it home the way we
came, though we had to take an alternate bus and walk an extra block. The
Ghiradelli Chocolate shop near our hostel offered temptation which we were by
now too weak to resist. We fell to a huge chocolate chip cookie and a
brownie, then strolled through the softly gaslit streets to our
hostel, cooked up some more sloppy joes and went to bed.
"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you"(Luke 1:28), is the greeting of
the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, when he is sent to ask her to become
the Mother of God(Matthew 1:23). How fitting a tribute, that the 4th
California Mission, established on the feast of the birthday of Mary, September
8, 1771, be named in his honor. The birth of this mission had its own
unique problems, as did all the others. After winning the trust of the
native Shoshone people, wowing them with the awesome beauty of the Franciscan
Mass, the tribes enthusastically participated in the religious rites and helped
with the building. But this success was almost ruined when one of the
soldiers sent to "protect" the mission raped a chieftain's wife and shot and
killed the chief.
The padres were barely able to prevent an
uprising, the soldier was reassigned elsewhere, and the mission continued to
serve the natives. After a brief stint on the Rio de los Temblores (now
the Santa Ana River), the mission was relocated near Montebello, and then
again closer to the mountains in its present location. An historically
crucial event took place in 1781, when a party of 2 padres, several Indians
and 11 families travelled 9 miles west from the mission to establish a
small settlement which they called El Pueblo de Nuestra la Reina de Los Angeles,
present day Los Angeles.
Mission San Gabriel became the vital overland connection to Mexico when
Juan Bautista de Anza arrived with his party in 1774. This enabled the
avoidance of a dangerous voyage around Baja, and contributed to making San
Gabriel the wealthiest of all the missions. Colonists at Los Angeles soon
grew envious of the prosperity of the mission, and for a time won out under
secularization. In less than 6 years, from secularization in 1834, the
mission's herd of over 16,500 cattle dwindled to less than 100. Final sale
of the property by Governor Pio Pico in 1853 was stopped by the arrival of U.S.
troops. In 1862 the mission was restored to the stewardship of the
Catholic Church.
The padres brought with them many priceless painting from Spain, some
now over 400 years old, still on display at the mission. They include
works of Murillo, Correggio, and copies of Rafael and del Sarto. Even so,
the paintings done by the native Gabrielenos, with colors they obtained
locally are better preserved. These include the 14 Stations of the
Cross. The hammered copper baptismal font, above, was a gift from King
Carlos III of Spain in 1771.
Many mission Indians are buried in the cemetary, and the Claretian Fathers,
who took responsibility for the mission in 1908, still bury their dead
there.
This visit to Mission San Gabriel, brought back to me many memories. As
a Catholic School student in the suburbs of Los Angeles, we frequently went on
field trips to the local missions. These trips were always enjoyable back
then, but to see it again through my adult eyes and my tested faith was a
joy. On the day we were there, another group of Catholic School students
was there on a field trip, above, enjoying a little traditional flute music,
provided by a Gabrielino descendant.
The old well has been filled in for safety; the winery stands in silent
display of the beginnings of California's exquisite wine industry. An ox
yoke and an old cream separator were "modern conveniences" in their time.
A young pilgrim studies the outdoor kitchen, used mainly for soap and candle
making. San Gabriel provided soap and candles for all the missions.
The remains of the acqueduct which brought fresh water to the mission.
Tanning vats for turning hides into soft leathers. Los Angeles provided a
thriving market for mission goods.
The cannon, a remnant of colonial days. This room was for important
visitors. This crucifix was lovingly crafted by a mission Indian, who used
his own hair for the hair of Jesus.
Original hand printed hymnals, silk vestments and guitar are some of the fine
relics on display in the mission museum.
The present mission church, designed by Fr. Antonio Cruzado, and built from
1791-1805 from cut stone, brick and mortar is the oldest structure of its kind
south of Monterrey, CA. It originally had a bell tower, but was replaced
by a campanario, or bell wall, after it was destroyed by the 1812
earthquake. A parish school was built in 1912 and is run by the Dominican
Sisters; the high school was built in 1949. Today Masses are celebrated in
English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
To plan your pilgrimage, and for more information or group tours contact:
The Holy Family Resting - Bob Hope Memorial
Garden
The Bob Hope Memorial Garden, burial place of the legendary
comedian, may be its current claim to fame, but Mission San Fernando has been a
very popular site since Fray Fermin de Lasuen founded it on September 8, 1797 as
the 17th of 21 Alta California missions.
Fr. Junipero Serra has long passed away and as the padres journey between San
Gabriel Mission and Mission San Buenaventura they decide that the best location
for the mission-in-between is the land controlled by the mayor of the fledgling
Pueblo of Los Angeles, Francisco Reyes. In exchange for the desired
property Reyes is given 4,460 acres nearby to run his cattle.
Mission San Fernando quickly amasses wealth and fame due to its proximity to
Los Angeles which has a great demand for hides, tallow, soap, cloth and
livestock, all produced by the mission indians. Exotic peafowl are brought
in from India. Because so many travellers stop here on their journey, the
padres continue to add on to the convento/hospice wing which quickly becomes
well known as the "long building" of El Camino Real. The effect of this
growing fame on the mission is not entirely positive. Indian neophytes
fall away as settlers come in and after the devastating earthquake of 1812 there
are no longer workers to repair the damage, or to continue to provide products
for the Los Angeles markets.
Soon the Mexican government begins to take over all the missions. In
1827 Fr. Ibarra is pastor of the mission. He notes the similarity of the
climate to the olive groves in Spain and brings in olive trees which will
eventually bring even more fame and prosperity to the valley.
He courageously holds the mission in loyalty to Spain, but by
1835 he no longer has a choice and flees rather than watch Mexico further
destroy it. In 1845 Governor Pio Pico's brother Andres begins using
the mission as his summer home, later taking ownership with a partner.
On January 13, 1847 now General Andres Pico and Lt. Colonel John C. Fremont
sign the Treaty of Cahuenga ending the fighting of the Mexican American War
in California. Fremont sets up his headquarters at the mission as military
governor of California. The Mexican American War officially ends in 1848
with California being ceded to the United States. Lt. Colonel Fremont will
go on to become a General and hero during the American Civil War; Mission
San Fernando will be used as a warehouse, stable and hog farm. With the
discovery of gold nearby, some prospectors, under the impression that the padres
have been looking for gold all along, enter and dig up the church
floor.
Bishop Joseph S. Alemany of the Monterey California Diocese petitions
President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 for the return of the mission buildings to the
care of the Catholic church and Lincoln complies. It takes over 30
years more for restoration to begin. Finally in 1923 Oblate Fathers return
to the mission to serve the Catholic community. A 6.7 magnitude
earthquake hits neighboring Sylmar on February 9, 1971, destroying city
streets, a brand new medical center and the mission church. It is
demolished and an exact replica built.
Though the original mission fountain and Fr. Serra statue remain across the
street in Brand Park, much is still on display at the mission itself. The
"long building" is home to numerous mission artifacts such as the huge wine
press, smoke room (used for smoking meats to preserve them before the days
of refrigeration), refectory with original Blue Willow china everyday dishes,
library and governor's chamber for honored guests. The indian
workshops are recreated - blacksmith shop, leather shop, carpentry shop; the
mayordomo's house still stands, the home of the foreman who oversaw all the
indian labor at the mission.
Mission San Fernando has housed Queen of Angels Seminary, training
center for priests serving the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
It still serves as headquarters for the Archdiocese and contains extensive
archives. Two Sunday Masses are offered weekly in addition to the
traditional Latin Tridentine Mass every 1st Sunday at noon.
For more information and to plan your pilgrimage:
San Fernando Mission
15151 San Fernando Mission Blvd.
Mission Hills, California 91345
818-361-0186
This mission does not have a website at this time.
The founding of the ninth California mission was fraught with
peril and intrigue. Originally determined to be the third mission,
circumstances prevented that from happening. Only after a hard won meeting
between Father Junipero Serra and California Governor Felipe de Neve was "The
Mission by the Sea" approved for construction. But only as a church.
The king of Spain no longer approved of the mission industry and did not want to
finance it. He wanted white settlers, loyal to him and felt this was more
to his advantage than indian converts. When the Franciscans pointed out
that the money used to build the missions in Alta and Baja California came from
the Jesuit trust fund, which was turned over to the king when the missions were
turned over to the Franciscans, the king retorted that it was up to his
discretion as to how the money was spent.
So when Governor de Neve was diverted from his journey with Fr.
Serra, due to military concerns, the padre went ahead and constructed San
Buenaventura as a mission, and by the time this was discovered, the indians
already had several successfull enterprises established. This was the last
of the missions to be personally founded by Fr. Serra in 1782 and he
personally dedicated it before he died. Padre Pedro
Benito Cambon directed most of the construction, including a seven mile long
acqueduct to bring Ventura River water to the mission. This ingenious use
of irrigation by the friars contributed greatly to the success of the
missions. San Buenaventura became famous for its exotic varieties of
fruits, herbs and vegetables.
After such a difficult start, the life of the mission did not
get any easier. It was continually damaged by earthquakes and fires.
The earthquake of 1812 brought with it a tidal wave which forced the evacuation
of the mission for nearly 6 months. Then in 1818 the padres and indians
had to remove sacred objects from the church and hide out in the nearby
hills to escape pillaging by the Pirate Bouchard, who terrorized Alta and
Baja California during this time, particularly the missions. In 1834 the
Mexican government took control of the missions, ousting
the Franciscans. San Buenaventura was later rented, then illegally
sold to Don Jose Arnaz. It was lost until California became a state and
Bishop Alemany petitioned for the return of the church buildings, cemetary,
orchards and vineyards to the church. This was granted by Abraham Lincoln
in 1862.
Despite attempts at mondernization, much of the mission has been
restored. Portions of the six and a half foot thick walls still
stand. The main altar is the original. To its right hangs a
Francisco Cabrera painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe, circa 1747. Four
original bells remain in the bell tower. Two wooden bells hang in the
museum. Used extensively throughout Europe in the Middle Ages for church
ceremonies, they are the only ones of their kind known to have been used in
California.
With services being held daily since its founding, except for
brief periods during 1812, due to the earthquake damage, and 1818, due to pirate
threats, San Buenaventura is today a thriving Catholic community, continuing to
serve the spiritual needs of the faithful in Ventura, California. For more
information, mass times and to plan your pilgrimage:
So much has already been written about the
"Queen of the Missions", that it's hard to decide where to start. No
trip to California should be considered complete without a visit to at least 1
of the string of 21 missions founded by the Franciscan order for Spain in the
late 18th century. If you had to choose just one, then Santa Barbara will
give you the best view of what life might have been like at a spanish
mission.
The impressive fountain dominating the
front courtyard of the mission is actually part of an ingenious aqueduct system
designed and built by the friars and indians to provide water for everything
from drinking, to washing clothes, and irrigation. Parts of the original
system are still in use serving the city of Santa Barbara.
Water was diverted into this stone
"lavanderia" so that indian women could wash clothes.
A tour of the mission museum is highly
recommended. Enter through the porticoed walkway.
Inside you will get a glimpse of mission
life from the sparseness of the priest's bedroom, furnished with only a
small bed, writing table and chair, wash basin and crucifix; to
the simple, humble bishop's belongings; to the fusion of
Mexican, Indian and English implements seen in the
kitchen. Upon exiting the museum, you will pass through the
garden, which was once a work area where the indians learned trades.
Now you will have a better perspective
on the art and architecture of the church itself. The main altar is ornate
and full of the symbolism consistent with this time period in the Catholic
Church. The crucifix above the altar is especially suggestive of the
agonizing death Christ endured. Below the main altar, the two side
altars each display a huge 200 year old painting, this one of the
Assumption of Mary into Heaven. The walls and doorways throughout the
church were rendered in faux marble by the indians.
Even the cielings were painted in elaborate
detail. The original tabernacle, which survived devastation by earthquakes
in 1812 and 1925, is displayed in a room at the rear of the church. Nearby
is the baptismal font.
On each side at the back of the
church is an alcove, discretely illuminated; one with full-size likenesses
of St. Francis of Assissi and St. Clare; the other depicting the
resurrected Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene.
The adjoining cemetary is marked by the
universal sign of skull and crossbones. Many faithful rest here, below and
above ground, or in family vaults. The cemetary gardens are a cool, quiet
place to regroup after the abundance of information and images, perhaps
emotions, experience in the museum and church.
Today, Mission Santa Barbara is a bustling
parish, continuously occupied by the Franciscan order since its founding.
Contact the parish for mass and confession times. Taize prayer is
scheduled seasonally throughout the year.
For more information: Mission Santa
Barbara, 2201 Laguna St., Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (805)682-4713,
ext. 121 FAX (805)687-7841
(c) Copyright 2004 by Robyn
Dolan
Please note: all content on this website, unless otherwise noted, is
Copyright 2003-2012 by Robyn Dolan. Content is intended for educational
and entertainment purposes only.
Help keep this site going - contributions in any amount are
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