Zapatista Archive Review
Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Chiapa de Corzo) (1650)
The Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in Chiapa de Corzo, also known as the Church Grande, was constructed in the mid-16th century, with its building attributed to the Portuguese friar Pedro de Barrientos. Its design, with a three-nave plan and ribbed vaults, is a notable example of Renaissance Mudéjar style that was directly inspired by the architecture of Mudéjar churches in the Seville region of Spain. The temple is made of brick and features a basilica floor plan similar to Romanesque churches, which includes a higher central nave for illumination. It is one of the best-preserved examples of 16th-century religious architecture in Chiapa.
San Juan Capistrano Mission (1776)
Mission San Juan Capistrano, often called the "Jewel of the California Missions," was officially founded on November 1, 1776, by Father Junípero Serra. It was the seventh of 21 missions established in Alta California. The mission's establishment was part of Spain's effort to expand its territory and convert the indigenous Acjachemen people, who the Spanish called Juaneño, to Christianity and a Spanish way of life.
The mission was a self-sufficient community centered on agriculture, industry, and religion. Its most notable architectural feature was the Great Stone Church, a magnificent structure built between 1797 and 1806. Unfortunately, this church was destroyed in a powerful earthquake in 1812, which also killed 40 people. The mission's decline began after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821 and the mission system was secularized in the 1830s.
The mission was sold into private ownership in 1845 but was returned to the Catholic Church by President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, preservation efforts led by figures like Charles Lummis and resident padre Father St. John O'Sullivan helped restore parts of the mission. Today, Mission San Juan Capistrano stands as a historic landmark and museum, a testament to California's multi-cultural history and famous for the annual return of the cliff swallows.
San Gabriel Arcangel, California (1771)
Founded on September 8, 1771, by Spanish Franciscans, Mission San Gabriel Arcángel was the fourth of California's 21 missions and holds the distinction of being the "Godmother of the Pueblo of Los Angeles." Designed with unique capped buttresses and narrow windows, the mission was completed in 1805. Its history is marked by complex interactions with the native Tongva people, who were a primary labor force, and it became the most prolific mission in terms of baptisms, with over 25,000 recorded. Despite its success, the mission faced challenges including a destructive flash flood in 1776, which led to its relocation, and a series of earthquakes in 1812 that damaged its structures. Following secularization in 1834, the mission fell into disrepair, with parts of it even repurposed as a saloon. However, restoration efforts by the Claretian Missionaries in the early 20th century helped revive the site. A significant fire in 2020 damaged the church sanctuary, but restoration has allowed for its reopening. Today, Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, a California Historic Landmark, serves as a museum and continues to honor the thousands of Native Americans buried in its historic cemetery, providing insight into early California mission life and its impact on indigenous communities.
Saint Thomas Yuma Indian Mission (1895)
The Saint Thomas Yuma Indian Mission in Winterhaven, California, has a history marked by both tragedy and resilience. The mission's origins date back to 1780, with the establishment of the original Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción by Spanish friars Francisco Garcés and Juan Antonio Barreneche. This was one of two missions founded in the area to convert the indigenous Quechan (Yuma) people. However, Spanish settlement practices, which encroached on Quechan lands and destroyed their crops, led to a violent uprising. In July 1781, the Quechan people attacked and destroyed the missions, and over 100 Spanish settlers were killed, including Fathers Garcés and Barreneche. For over a century, the site remained undeveloped until the early 20th century. The current Saint Thomas Indian Mission was built on the original site and was dedicated in 1923. The new church was designed to replicate the original Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción. Today, the mission serves as a functioning parish and a historical landmark, commemorating the site of the ill-fated Spanish missions and honoring the history of the Quechan people and the friars who lived and died there. A statue of Father Garcés stands on the grounds as a memorial.
Diócesis de Huehuetenango
Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción (1961)
The Diocese of Huehuetenango was established on July 22, 1961, as a territorial prelature by Pope John XXIII. It was created from a portion of the territory of the Diocese of San Marcos and was originally a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Guatemala. On December 23, 1967, Pope Paul VI elevated the prelature to the status of a full diocese. Its ecclesiastical province was changed on February 13, 1996, when it became a suffragan of the newly created Archdiocese of Los Altos Quetzaltenango-Totonicapán. The current bishop, Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri, has held the position since May 14, 2012. The diocese is located in Guatemala, covering the department of Huehuetenango, and its main seat is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the city of Huehuetenango.
