Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert

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The Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert are a series of religious outposts established by Spanish Catholic Jesuits and other orders to spread the Christian doctrine among the local Native Americans, but with the added benefit of giving Spain a toehold in the frontier lands of its colony of New Spain.

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[edit] Geography

The missions are in an area of the Sonoran Desert called "Pimería Alta," or "Upper Pima Country." It is now divided between the Mexican state of Sonora and the U.S. state of Arizona.

Mountains in the Sonoran Desert
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Mountains in the Sonoran Desert

[edit] Father Kino

From 1493, the Kingdom of Spain had maintained a number of missions throughout Nueva España (New Spain, consisting of Mexico and portions of what today are the Southwestern United States) in order to facilitate colonization of these lands.

In the Spring of 1687, a Jesuit missionary named Father Eusebio Francisco Kino lived and worked with the Native Americans in the area called the "Pimería Alta," or "Upper Pima Country," which presently is located in the areas between the Mexican state of Sonora and the state of Arizona in the United States. During Father Eusebio Kino's stay in the Pimería Alta, he founded over twenty missions in eight mission districts.

It was rumored that the Jesuit priests had amassed fortunes and were becoming very powerful. On February 3, 1768, King Carlos III ordered the Jesuits forcibly expelled from New Spain and returned to the home country.

[edit] The missions

  • San Pedro y San Pablo del Tubutama was founded in 1687
  • San José de Imuris was founded in 1687.
  • San Luis Bacoancos was founded in 1691
  • Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi was founded in 1691
  • San Lázaro was founded in 1691
San Xavier del Bac
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San Xavier del Bac
  • San Cosme y Damián de Tucson: 1692
  • La Purísima Concepción de Nuestra Señora de Caborca: 1693
  • Santa María Suamca: 1693
  • San Valentín de Busanic: 1693
  • Nuestra Señora de Loreto y San Marcelo de Sonoyta: 1693
  • Nuestra Señora de la Ascención de Opodepe: 1704
  • Los Santos Reyes de Sonoita: (1692)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Spanish Missions:
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Santa Barbara Mission