Capture California, the Game-2012
Adventure: 49/101 - 08 : Mission
San Gabriel Archangel,
4th mission
Team: Thing One, Thing Two
Date: August 13, 2012
Location: San Gabriel
Description:
From the descriptions found on-line, we expected Mission San
Gabriel to be a dark and foreboding fort-like structure. But on this
day with our parents and one of our daughters, we saw a bright,
sunny, festive place. While we walked around the building, we saw how
“mission” like the whole area was. Decorative tiles were placed
within adobe sidewalks, palm trees swayed in a light breeze, and the
grass radiated coolness. In its day, the side door was the main entry
way—it opened out onto the original El Camino Real where travelers
from many roads would come to the mission for a time of rest.
From Wikipedia
site:
Legend has it that the founding expedition was confronted by a
large group of native
Tongva
peoples whose intention was to drive the strangers away. One of the
padres laid a painting of "Our Lady of Sorrows" on the
ground for all to see, whereupon the natives (known to the settlers
as the
Gabrieliños) immediately made peace with the
missionaries, so moved were they by the painting's beauty.
Today
the 300-year-old work hangs in front of and slightly to the left of
the old high altar and
reredos
in the Mission's
sanctuary.
A large stone cross stands in the center of the
campo santo
(
cemetery),
first consecrated in 1778 and then again on January 29, 1939 by the
Los Angeles Archbishop
John
Cantwell. It serves as the final resting place
for some 6,000 "neophytes;" a small stone marker denotes
the gravesite of José de Los Santos, the last American Indian to be
buried on the grounds, at the age of 101 in February 1921. Also
interred at the Mission are the bodies of numerous
Franciscan
fathers who died during their time of service, as well as the remains
of Reverend Raymond Catalan, C.M.F., who undertook the restoration of
the Mission's gardens. Entombed at the foot of the altar are the
remains of eight Franciscan priests (listed in order of interment):
Father Miguel Sánchez, Father Antonio Cruzado, Father
Francisco
Dumetz, Father Roman Ulibarri, Father Joaquin
P. Nuez, Father
Gerónimo
Boscana, Father
José
Bernardo Sánchez, and Father Blas Ordaz.
Buried among the padres is centenarian
Eulalia
Perez de Guillén Mariné, the "keeper of
the keys" under Spanish rule; her grave is marked by a bench
dedicated in her memory.
From California
Missions Resource Center site:
Prominent Missionary Leaders: Between1775 and for
the next 28 years, Fathers Antonio Cruzado and Miguel Sanchez worked
together to make this one of the most successful missions in
California. Fr. José Zalvidea continued their work for another 20
years, and is credited with introducing large-scale viticulture to
California.
Mission Church: The unique San Gabriel church,
completed in 1805, features a Moorish, "fortress-like"
appearance, with capped buttresses and long narrow windows along the
prominent side wall. The style is similar to the Cathedral in Cordova
Spain.
Mission Bells: Six bells occupy an espadaña or
bell wall. The oldest bells were cast in Mexico City in 1795 by the
famous bell maker, Paul Ruelas. The largest bell (dated 1830) weighs
over a ton and was used for over a century to ring the Angelus, a
prayer said at morning, noon, and evening in commemoration of the
Incarnation.
Mission Art: The Stations of the Cross are said
to be authentic neophyte Indian paintings. They were exhibited at the
1893 World's Columbia Expedition in commoration of the 400th
anniversary of the discovery of the New World.
Interesting Facts:
The main entrance to the church is quite plain. In the mission era
the prominent door in the side wall of the church opened directly
onto
El
Camino Real, ("Royal Road")
connecting the missions, pueblos and presidios.
San Gabriel was located astride three prominent trails. Settlers,
military expeditions, and travelers frequently stayed at this
mission, which had turbulent relations with the
Native
Americans because of the large military
presence.
San Gabriel had the largest
vineyard
in Spanish California and was the botanical source of many of the
vines planted in the other missions in the chain.
Missionaries from San Gabriel guided the development of the Church
of our Lady of the Angels at the
pueblo
(town) of Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles, founded in 1781
From California State Parks site:
Founded in 1771 by Junipero Serra, this fortress-like structure
with five-foot thick walls and narrow windows is a design not found
in any other mission. Located nine miles east of downtown Los
Angeles, at one time it covered several hundred thousand acres; one
fourth of the wealth of California missions in stock and grain was
credited to San Gabriel. The original vaulted roof was of a Moorish
design patterned after the cathedral at Cordova, Spain, with slender
capped buttresses and a six-belled campanario. One bell, which weighs
a ton, can be heard eight miles away. The hammered copper baptismal
font was a gift of King Carlos III of Spain and the six priceless
altar statues were brought around the Horn from Spain in 1791. The
winery, kitchen gardens and graveyard are still intact and the museum
exhibits old books, Indian paintings and parchments.
428 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, 91776, (626) 457-3035
