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( O'odham [Papago]: Va:k) --grazon 22:59, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

The following large chunk of material has been placed on this page in recent days by anon user:24.56.49.57 and user:Jnordmar. It is a straight lift from the official web page of the Mission at http://www.sanxaviermission.org/Index.html That site does not declare itself as copyright but presumably we should treat it as being so. I have therefore removed the material to this page for discussion, and replaced it with the earlier version. If the user who placed it on the page has evidence that it is public domain, that should be established here. If the material is public domain and can be restored to the page, it should be properly attributed seglea 23:09, 16 May 2006 (UTC) reply

San Xavier del Bac is situated in the Santa Cruz Valley nine miles south of Tucson, Arizona. Framed in the warm browns of the surrounding hills and the violet shadows of more distant mountains, it rises, brilliantly white from the desert floor of dusty green mesquite and sage. The imposing dome and lofty towers, the rounded parapets and graceful spires etched against the vivid blue complete a skyline with a graceful enchantment. San Xavier del Bac Mission

From the earliest times, the Tohono O'odham settlement in which the Mission is located was called Bac, "place where the water appears," because the Santa Cruz River, which ran underground for some distance, reappears on the surface nearby.

The celebrated Jesuit missionary and explorer, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, first visited Bac in 1692. Eight years later in 1700, Father Kino laid the foundations of the first church, some two miles north of the present site of the Mission. He named it San Xavier in honor of his chosen patron, St. Francis Xavier, the illustrious Jesuit "Apostle of the Indies."

In 1768, Fray Francisco Hermengildo Garces, a man of outstanding personality and prodigious accomplishments among all missionaries in Arizona, established his headquarters at San Xavier. From here this Franciscan Friar set forth on his many missionary explorations.

The present church was built from 1783 - 1797 by the Franciscan Fathers Juan Bautista Velderrain and Juan Bautista Llorenz. Little is know about the actual labor of the construction of the church, who was the architect, who were the artisans, but many believe it was the Tohono O'odham who fufilled these roles. Why the one tower was never completed is still a mystery, but hopefully one day this question will be answered.

San Xavier Mission is acclaimed by many to be the finest example of mission architecture in the United States. It is a graceful blend of Moorish, Byzantine and late Mexican Renaissance architecture, yet the blending is so complete it is hard to tell where one type begins and another ends.

The church is a series of domes and arches that create enclaves for themes of painting on the various walls, domes and rooms. The area behind the high altar is a dazzling gilt of colors. The wall paintings are all original, but over time have needed to be touched up. Time and the harsh desert weather have taken a toll on the the beauty that is within the church and the entire mission complex.

...by the presido of Tucson

What´s a "presido"?. I am a Spanish speaker and I do not know that word.

Related to "Presidio" (jail) maybe?. "Presidencia"?.

A nice page for a nice building. I knew about Mission San Juan Capistrano, but I have no idea this beautiful church existed. Randroide 12:17, 23 March 2007 (UTC) reply

I don't know, alas. Thanks for pitching in! It is indeed the most beautiful church in the world, a magical place.-- Mantanmoreland 14:21, 23 March 2007 (UTC) reply

A presidio is a fort or fortress. Presidio TX was an old Spanish Fort. One other thing, there is a picture in the article of the Saint ecased in glass. The saint isn't San Xavier; it is St Francis. I've been there and there is a legend that the pure of heart can lift the statue with one hand but if you are a sinner, you won't be able to lift it easily. Margot575 ( talk) 07:32, 3 February 2010 (UTC) reply

It looks more like pure barroque — Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.214.4.22 ( talk) 18:22, 30 October 2014 (UTC) reply