Spanish missions in New Mexico

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Beginning in 1493, the Kingdom of Spain maintained a number of missions throughout Nueva España (New Spain, consisting of Mexico and portions of what today are the Southwestern United States) in order to facilitate colonization of these lands.

[edit] History

Mission Church in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico

The Spanish Missions in New Mexico comprise a series of religious outposts established primarily by Spanish Catholic Franciscans, to spread the Catholic faith among the local aboriginal people. This produced the added benefit of giving Spain a cultural toehold in the frontier land. The missions introduced European livestock, fruits, vegetables, and industry into the Southwest region. Since 1493, the Kingdom of Spain had maintained a number of missions throughout Nueva España (New Spain, consisting of Mexico and portions of what today are the Southwestern United States) in order to facilitate colonization of these lands.

In this context, Fray Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan, first saw the area now known as New Mexico in 1539. All the early expeditions into this "New Kingdom of St. Francis", included Franciscan missionaries. Many of them were killed by the Native Americans, once the Spanish soldiers returned to Mexico.

The first permanent settlement was Mission San Gabriel, founded in 1598 by Juan de Oñate at a location near what is now known as the San Juan Pueblo. It was the capital of New Mexico until 1610, when Santa Fe, New Mexico became the capital.

In 1680, the Pueblo Revolt forced the Spanish settlers out of New Mexico. Many of the missions were destroyed. The Spaniards retreated to the area of present-day El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez Mexico. Twelve years later, in 1692, the Spanish reconquered New Mexico.

[edit] Missions

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Zia
Mission Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles de Porciúncula de los Pecos founded in 17th century, ruins are part of the Pecos National Monument
Mission Nuestra Señora de Purísima Concepción de Quarai [1] founded in 17th century, ruins are part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
Mission San Agustín de la Isleta - Built in 1612.
Mission San Buenaventura de Cochiti [2] - Completed in 1628, renovated in the 1960's.
Mission San Esteban del Rey de Acoma [3] - Established 1629 and completed in 1641, in continuous use.
Mission San Felipe - Built on the site of a previous church (1706)
Mission San Gregorio de Abó [4] - Established in 1640 by Fray Francisco Acevedo
Mission San Ildefonso - The original mission church was built in 1711, but was later destroyed.
Mission San Isidro and Mission San Buenaventura de Humanas (Gran Quivira) - the ruins are part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
Mission San José (Giusewa) de Jémez - Established in 1627, now in ruins.
Mission Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Mission San Lorenzo
Mission San Antonio de Senecu
Mission Corpus Christi de San Antonio de la Ysleta del Sur [5] - built between 1680 and 1682 by Tigua speaking and Spanish refugees of the Pueblo Revolt
Mission La Purísima Socorro - built between 1680 and 1682 by the Piro, Tano and Jemez peoples who accompanied or were forced to accompany the Spaniards fleeing the 1680 Pueblo Revolt.
Mission San José de Laguna - built in 1699.
Mission San Lorenzo de Picurís
Mission San Miguel (originally Mission Nuestra Señora de Perpétuo Socorro)
San Miguel Mission Chapel - The oldest church still in use in the United States.
Mission Santa Ana - Completed in 1750.
Mission Santo Domingo - The original mission church was destroyed by flooding of the Rio Grande.
Santuario de Chimayó - Site of an Easter pilgrimage by foot to the holy spot every year by
Santuario de Guadalupe - The nation's oldest shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe.