Ya just gotta love being able to drive a few hours away from home on a mission . . .
and wind up at a Mission! Not just one, but several!!
One of the things I love about Texas is its diverse landscape where you can go from the canyons of the Texas panhandle in the Coastal Plains through the Mountains and basins and end up at the Gulf Coastal Plains. Of course that will take you an eternity of driving to get through it and in all the twenty years of
living here I have yet to have seen even a fraction of it!!
One of my favorite places we have been though is where the Spanish, during the 18th century, built a series of missions along the San Antonio river which later became the foundation they would use to build the city. And it's the largest group of missions in North America, each one with it's own gravity-fed irrigation system.
When I was in school I really, really, disliked history! And now I'm wishing I had paid a bit
more attention to it as I'm finding the history of people and their cultures fascinating. Just to roam about
where others have been, to stand where history was not only made but is still preserved today after more
than 250 years is just exciting! To open and walk through the very same doors, to stand on the very same ground of those that came before us, the ones that layed the foundation for where we are now makes me more aware of the connections we all share. The ones we make now that will affect the foundations we lay for the future, not just our own but for others.
The first Mission we arrived at was the Mission Concepcion, the oldest unrestored stone church in America and probably because they chose to build it on a foundation of bedrock. Construction began in 1731 and took a little over 20 years to build. There are twin bell towers, outside walls that are 45" thick, and original frescoes that are over 250 years old that can be found in the sacristy. The outside of the mission, well most of the missions, had colorful geometric designs that are now no longer visible and have worn off and faded with time. I was a bit disappointed to not be able to get a full view of the front of this one as they had it blocked off for some reason.
This is part of a courtyard to a side entrance into the Sanctuary.
Next we made our way to the San Juan Mission. Again, the front was blocked off and and the church was closed possibly for repairs? I don't know much about this one other than it was a self-sustaining community where Indian artisans prepared hides and made tools and cloths. They also, outside the walls of the mission had orchards and gardens and in surrounding farmland raised sheep and cattle that allowed them to survive as long as they did in their later years.
Lastly, was the largest of the missions built on the banks of the San Antonio river. It was built only several miles from one of the most famous missions, The Alamo, and as an active parish they hold mass every Sunday. It's known as the "Queen of the Missions" for being the largest and most beautiful of the five missions.
We saw this mission 2 years ago, and it is just as remarkable seeing it for second time as it was the first. And this time as I am not shooting in automatic I was paying more a lot more attention to the light and shadows of things. In fact, it seemed to be another recurring *theme* and one I will share with you soon. ; )
Are these not the most magnificent set of doors, and that carving! I heard one of the park rangers say that
it's one of the finest carvings in all of Colonial North America. One of the reasons is because the stone found in the area is much more pliable and the carvers from Mexico were able to get quite creative in their designs elements. In the collage below is the famous "Rose Window", La Ventana de Rosa, and is found on the outside of the sacristy. On the right is the same window only looking out from the sacristy. The bottom left image is what is left of the colorful geometric patterns that would have been found on the entire exterior of the mission.
This is the breathtaking view through those beautifully carved front doors!
And through doors on the left at the front of the church, that say, "Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Respect and Silence", is the sacristy and where all the lite candles represent someones request for an answered prayer.
{shoot, edit, submit}
The bell tower, that sang every 15 minutes while we were there.
And remember the irrigation system I mentioned earlier? It's a 270 year old system and is what powers this grist mill that can grind up to 600-800 lbs of flour a day if it had to. It wasn't being operated this week, but I have been able to watch the flour fall into the bucket. Talk about technology that withstands the test of time. Makes ya wonder if we are really getting smarter doesn't it?
And this, this is the view as I turned and looked back as I walked to the enormous wooden doors that the park rangers were waiting at - waiting for me so they could close - yes as usual I was the last one out.
Do you ever just feel like ya didn't have enough time somewhere? I know I had been there before, but I just didn't feel like I was able to explore every nook and cranny and that perhaps I missed something.
In thinking about these missions, and how they have been preserved through history some over 250 years, I am reminded of how we all leave our mark or not on this world. Some of the very reason these missions have survived as long as they have is because they were built on solid foundation, on bedrock, but they weren't just built physically strong. They were also built on a spiritual foundation and with faith and not to build a palace but to build a community.
So in reflecting and thinking about the new year ahead, I'm not starting over, I'm continuing. I'm continuing in that forward motion to hopefully build a foundation for what is to come in the future. Last year as I unpacked my bags in acceptance (
here), it became the groundwork for my journey to discovery this year.
I didn't do it on physical strength alone, but also with faith. And without even knowing it, we all share connections that are important in each other's journeys - together we are building communities and just maybe someone will stand on the same ground that we have stood and ponder the same questions about those who have gone before them. I don't know about you but this gives me much to think about this next year. And I can't help but be a little excited about that!!
I look forward in this next year to continuing and making new connections.
Wishing you all a safe and Happy New Year!!
Love, Kim
XO
Also sharing with
Tuesday Around the World at Communal Global
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