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.
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History
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.
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 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.
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 Historical Park
- Mission Nuestra Señora de Purísima Concepción de Quarai founded in 17th century, ruins are part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
Mission San Deigo de Alcala Mission San Agustín de la Isleta - Built in 1612. See also Isleta Pueblo
- Mission San Buenaventura de Cochiti - Completed in 1628, renovated in the 1960s. See also Cochiti Pueblo
- Mission San Esteban del Rey de Acoma - Established 1629 and completed in 1641, in continuous use since.[1] See also Acoma Pueblo
- Mission San Felipe - Built on the site of a previous church (1706)
- Mission San Gregorio de Abó - Established in 1640 by Fray Francisco Acevedo. Ruins are now part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.
- 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 de los Jémez - Established in 1621, now in ruins.
- Mission Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe - Piro mission, now in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.
- Mission San Lorenzo - Established after 1680, now in El Paso, Texas.
- Mission San Antonio de Senecu - built 1682, no remains. Site is at or near present-day Senecu, Mexico.
- Mission Corpus Christi de San Antonio de la Ysleta del Sur - built between 1680 and 1682 by Tigua speaking and Spanish refugees of the Pueblo Revolt [2]
- Mission Nuestra Señora de Perpetuo Socorro(New Mexico), today known as the Mission San Miguel - Established in 1598 by Fray Alfonso Benavidez and another Franciscan friar. San Miguel Mission Chapel is said to be the oldest church still in use in the United States.
- Mission La Purísima Socorro(Texas), 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. See also Laguna Pueblo
- Mission San Lorenzo de Picurís -- established circa 1620.
- Mission Santa Ana - Completed in 1750.
- Mision Santo Domingo - The original mission church was destroyed by flooding of the Rio Grande.
Noted churches that were not missions
- El Santuario de Chimayó - Site of an Easter pilgrimage by foot to this holy spot every year. Not a mission; founded c.1810 as a private chapel.
- Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe - Founded c. 1777; believed to be nation's oldest shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Not a mission.
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External links
- Sunlight and Adobe - Photographing New Mexico's Historic Missions New Mexico Photography Field School
- History, Archdiocese of Santa Fe
- Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
- Spanish Mission Churches of New Mexico
- Gran Quivira: A Blending of Cultures in a Pueblo Indian Village, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
References
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