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San Xavier del Bac is a historic Spanish mission about 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Tucson, Arizona on the Tohono O'odham San Xavier Indian Reservation, also known as the "white dove of the desert" or "place where the water appears" because the Santa Cruz River, which runs underground, surfaces nearby. The Mission is situated in the center of a centuries old Papago Indian settlement located along the banks of the Santa Cruz River.
The site was originally selected in about 1700 by Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino who often visited and preached in the area. The original mission church, located about two miles away, was vulnerable to Apache attacks who finally destroyed it in about 1770. Charles III of Spain banned all Jesuits from Spanish lands in the Americas in 1767 because of his distrust of the Jesuits. From this time on San Xavier mission was led by the more pliable and "reliable" Franciscans. The present building was constructed under the direction of Franciscan Fathers Juan Bautista Velderrain and Juan Bautista Llorenz mainly with native labor working from 1783-1797 with a loan of 7,000 pesos and serves the Catholics of the San Xavier District of Tohono O'odham Nation. Alone of the two Sonoran Desert missions built in Arizona, San Xavier is still actively served by Franciscans, and still serves the Native community by which it was built. The San Xavier church and its Indian converts were originally protected from marauding Apache by the presido of Tucson established in 1775. The other Sonoran Desert mission in Arizona is now part of the Tumacacori National Historic Park and is inactive.
Outside, San Xavier has a white, Moorish-inspired design, elegant and simple, with an ornately decorated entrance. No record of the architect, builders, craftsmen and artisans responsible for creating and decorating it are known. Most of the labor was almost certainly provided by the local Indians and many believe they provided most or all of the artisans as well. When you enter the massive, carved mesquite-wood doors of San Xavier you are struck by the coolness of the interior, and the dazzling colors of the paintings carvings, frescoes and statues. The interior is richly decorated with ornaments showing a mixture of New Spain and Native American artistic motifs. The floor plan of the church resembles the classic Latin cross. The main aisle is separated from the sanctuary by the transept or cross aisle, with chapels at either end. The dome above the transept is 52 feet high supported by arches and squinches. At least three different artists painted the artwork inside the church. It is considered by some to be the finest example of Spanish mission architecture in the United States.
Not much is written about the Mission from 1797 to 1828. In 1822 it fell under the jurisdiction of the newly independent Mexican government and the Catholic Diocese of Sonora Mexico. In 1828 the Mexican government banned all Spanish born priests and the priest serving at San Xavier was sent home to Spain and San Xavier was left vacant.
From 1828-1858 the vacant church began to decay and local Indians, concerned about their church, started preserving what they could. In 1853 the church was brought under U.S. jurisdiction when the surrounding territory was bought in the Gadsen Purchase. The vacant and decaying church was re-opened in 1859 when the U.S. based Santa Fe Diocese added Arizona to its jurisdiction. The Bishop for the Santa Fe Diocese ordered repairs to be made with Diocese money and a priest was assigned to serve at San Xavier.
Today it is open to the public except on Sundays when it is used as a church. The San Xavier Festival is held the evening of the Friday after Easter and features a torch-light parade of Tohono O'odham and Yaqui tribal members.
Extensive restoration efforts in the late 20th century have restored the interior to its historic splendor. Extensive exterior restoration is continuing (as of 2006 the left tower was completely enclosed in scaffolding). Concrete stuccoing added in the 1980's is being removed as this material was found to trap water inside the church which damaged the interior decoration. This modern stucco is being replaced with the traditional mud plaster, a material that "breaths" better to allow excess water to escape but requires more regular inspection and higher maintenance costs. Among the many legends surrounding the building is a popular myth suggesting that early taxation laws exempted buildings under construction, so the builders chose to leave one dome unfinished. In fact, the reason the building is "incomplete" is not known.
The Mission has (and to some extent still does) acted as a community center for almost two centuries. In 1895 a school was opened and a grant of $1,000 was given to repair the building. More classrooms were added in 1900 and in 1947 a new school was built next to the church for the Tohono O'odham children.
See also
External links
Landmarks in Arizona | Colonial Mexico | Buildings and structures in Arizona | History of Catholicism in the United States | Spanish colonization of the Americas
"Mission San Xavier del Bac"