We toured this lovely Spanish mission on the Tohono O'odham Indian reservation just south west of Tucson. It's a working church that serves the native community there. The mission was started in the late 1600's, probably under a wood shade ramada, and the present church completed by the late 1700s. The baroque Spanish/Indian architecture and statuary are so different from European cathedrals.
At times, the mission was deserted, and was used as a camping space or military bivouac, so the entire interior was blackened with soot. Below, an artist does meticulous restoration work using authentic pigments.
A couple of the wall panels and a close up of one of the angels
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| A Statue of San Xavier laid to rest below Christ |
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| The Virgin Mary in wedding dress |
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| Angel detail on a pillar - this level of ornamentation was everywhere |
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