View source for Spanish missions in Arizona

{{Short description|17th to 19th-century Catholic religious outposts}}
{{SpanishMissions}}
{{AZhistory}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2022}}
Beginning in the 16th century [[Spain]] established [[mission (station)|mission]]s throughout [[New Spain]] (consisting of [[Mexico]] and portions of what today are the [[Southwestern United States]]) in order to facilitate colonization of these lands.

==History==
===Early Franciscan missions===
The indigenous peoples of Arizona remained unknown to European explorers until 1540 when [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] [[explorer]] [[Pedro de Tovar]] (who was part of the [[Francisco Vásquez de Coronado|Coronado expedition]]) encountered the [[Hopi]] while searching for the legendary [[Seven Cities of Gold]]. Contact with Europeans remained infrequent until three missions were established in 1629 in what is now northeastern Arizona.

In 1680, the [[Pueblo Revolt]] resulted in the destruction of all three missions, greatly limiting Spanish influence in the region. Subsequent attempts to reestablish the missions in Hopi villages were met with repeated failures. The former mission is still visible today as a ruin.

===Jesuit missions===
In the spring of 1687, the [[Jesuit]] missionary [[Eusebio Kino|Eusebio Francisco Kino]] lived and worked with the Native Americans in the area called the [[Pimería Alta]], or "Upper Pima Country," which presently includes the Mexican state of [[Sonora]] and the southern portion of [[Arizona]]. During Father Eusebio Kino's stay in the [[Pimería Alta]], he founded over twenty{{quantify|date=November 2017}} missions in eight mission districts. In Arizona, unlike Mexico, missionization proceeded slowly.

Father Kino founded missions [[Mission San Xavier del Bac|San Xavier]] and [[Mission Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi|San Gabriel]] at the Piman communities of Bac and Guevavi along the [[Santa Cruz River (Arizona)|Santa Cruz River]].

===Late Franciscan missions===
Following the [[Suppression of the Society of Jesus|expulsion of the Jesuits]] in 1767, the [[Franciscans]] from the college of Santa Cruz in [[Querétaro]] took over responsibility in the Pimería Alta missions. Meanwhile, other Franciscans from the college of San Fernando in Mexico City under the leadership of [[Junípero Serra]], were assigned to replace the Jesuits in the [[Spanish missions in Baja California|Baja California missions]] of the lower [[The Californias|Las Californias]] Province.

Under the administration of Franciscan [[friar]] and [[explorer]] [[Francisco Garcés]], three additional missions were established with the goal of establishing a permanent connection between the missions of Las Californias and Pimería Alta. However, following a [[Quechan]] raid in 1781 that destroyed two mission near present-day [[Yuma, Arizona|Yuma]], the two regions remained isolated. This greatly limited the expansion of Spanish influence throughout the lower [[Colorado River]].

Following the [[Mexican War of Independence]] and the expulsion of all Spanish-born priests from the region in 1828, the remaining missions were gradually abandoned. [[Mission San Xavier del Bac]] was the last mission to be abandoned, with the last priest leaving for Spain in 1837.

==Missions==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of missions in Arizona, from year of first established
|-
! Name
! class="unsortable" | Image
! Location
! Date founded
! [[Religious order (Catholic)|Order]]
! class="unsortable" | Notes
!Sources
|-
| [[Oraibi, Arizona#History|Mission San Francisco de Oraibi]]
| 
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=35_52_24_N_110_38_10_W 35.87344, -110.63634]</small>
| {{start date|1629}}
| [[Franciscans]]
| Destroyed during the [[Pueblo Revolt|1680 Pueblo Revolt]]. In ruins.
|
|-
| [[Awatovi Ruins#European contact|Mission San Bernardo de Aguatubi]]
| 
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=35_43_31_N_110_16_40_W 35.72529, -110.27803]</small>
| {{start date|1629}}
| [[Franciscans]]
| Destroyed during the [[Pueblo Revolt|1680 Pueblo Revolt]]. Rebuilt in the 1690s before it and the surrounding village was destroyed in 1700. In ruins.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awatovi Ruins (Arizona) (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/places/awatovi-ruins-arizona.htm |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Second Mesa, Arizona|Mission San Bartolomé de Shungópove]]
| 
| [[Second Mesa, Arizona|Second Mesa]]
| {{start date|1629}}
| [[Franciscans]]
| Destroyed during the [[Pueblo Revolt|1680 Pueblo Revolt]]. 
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mission San Bartolome de Xongopavi; one of Arizona's forgotten missions {{!}} Arizona Historical Indexes |url=https://uamr.lib.arizona.edu/item/258437 |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=uamr.lib.arizona.edu |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Mission Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi]]
| [[File:Los Santos Angeles de Guevavi.jpg|120px]]
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=31_24_36_N_110_54_7_W 31.41007, -110.90198]</small>
| {{start date|1691}}
| [[Jesuits]]
| Abandoned in 1775. The church ruins date to 1751. It later became a visita of [[Mission San José de Tumacácori|San José de Tumacacori]] around 1773.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tumacacori |first=Mailing Address: P. O. Box 8067 |last2=Us |first2=AZ 85640 Phone: 520 377-5060 Contact |title=Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi - Tumacácori National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/tuma/learn/historyculture/guevavi.htm |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Mission San Xavier del Bac]]
| [[File:San Xavier del Bac in overcast weather.jpg|120px]]
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=32_6_26_N_111_0_28_W 32.10723, -111.00797]</small>
| {{start date|1692}}
| [[Jesuits]]
| 1692–1770, 1783–1837, 1859–present. The extant mission church was completed in 1797.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=San Xavier Mission Organization site |url=http://www.sanxaviermission.org/History.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912062835/http://www.sanxaviermission.org/History.html |archive-date=2017-09-12 |access-date=2022-04-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mission San Xavier del Bac (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/places/mission-san-xavier-del-bac.htm |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Mission San Cayetano de Calabazas]]
| [[File:San Cayetano de Calabazas.jpg|120px]]
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=31_27_9_N_110_57_34_W 31.45252, -110.95945]</small>
| {{start date|1756}}
| [[Jesuits]]
| It was founded as a visita of [[Mission Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi]] (and some time after served [[Mission San José de Tumacácori]]). It later became a mission but was downgraded back to a visita of [[Mission Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi]] in 1784. Abandoned in 1786.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mission San Cayetano de Calabazas - Spanish Missions/Misiones Españolas (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/travelspanishmissions/mission-san-cayetano-de-calabazas.htm |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tumacacori |first=Mailing Address: P. O. Box 8067 |last2=Us |first2=AZ 85640 Phone: 520 377-5060 Contact |title=San Cayetano de Calabazas - Tumacácori National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/tuma/learn/historyculture/calabazas.htm |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Mattison |first=Ray |date=1946 |title=Early Spanish and Mexican Settlements in Arizona |url=https://npshistory.com/publications/tuma/nmhr-v21n4-1946.pdf |journal=New Mexico Historical Review |volume=21 |issue=4 |page=275 |via=NPS History}}</ref>
|-
| [[Mission San José de Tumacácori]]
| [[File:Ruins of the Franciscan church at Mission San José de Tumacácori (6127855296).jpg|120px]]
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=31_34_6_N_111_3_3_W 31.56861, -111.0509]</small>
| {{start date|1757}}
| [[Jesuits]]
| Located west of the site of the visita [[Mission San José de Tumacácori|San Cayetano del Tumacácori]]. Abandoned in 1828.
|<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Mission San José de Tumacácori - Spanish Missions/Misiones Españolas (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/travelspanishmissions/mission-san-jose-de-tumacacori.htm |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Tumacacori |first=Mailing Address: P. O. Box 8067 |last2=Us |first2=AZ 85640 Phone: 520 377-5060 Contact |title=San José de Tumacácori - Tumacácori National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/tuma/learn/historyculture/tumacacori.htm |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Mission San Cosme y Damián de Tucsón]]
| [[File:Historic American Buildings Survey Photo by 'The Campbell Studios', 1122 North 3rd Avenue, Tucson, Arizona. c. 1881 Copied for Survey through courtesy of Harry Drachman. VIEW HABS ARIZ,10-TUCSO,3-3.tif|120px]]
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=32_12_53_N_110_59_4_W 32.2148, -110.98463]</small>
| {{start date|1768}}
| [[Franciscans]]
| Established as a [[Asistencias|visita]] in 1692. Elevated to the status of mission in 1768. Abandoned in 1828. Non-extant.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mission San Agustín del Tucson (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/places/mission-san-agust%C3%ADn-del-tucson.htm |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción]]
| [[File:Saint Thomas Yuma Indian Mission, Winterhaven, CA.jpg|120px]]
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=32_43_49_N_114_36_56_W 32.73053, -114.61557]</small>
| {{start date|1780|10}}
| [[Franciscans]]
| Located in [[California]] but administered as part of the [[Pimería Alta]] missions. Destroyed during a [[Quechan]] raid from July 17–19, 1781. Non-extant. A [[Saint Thomas Yuma Indian Mission|reconstruction]] of the mission was completed in 1923, which currently serves as a [[parish church]].
|
|-
| [[Mission San Pedro y San Pablo de Bicuñer]]
|
| <small>[https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=32_48_58_N_114_30_54_W 32.81636, -114.51511]</small>
| {{start date|1781|1|7}}
| [[Franciscans]]
| Located in [[California]] but administered as part of the [[Pimería Alta]] missions. Destroyed during a [[Quechan]] raid from July 17–19, 1781. Non-extant.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parks |first=California State |title=SITE OF MISSION SAN PEDRO Y SAN PABLO DE BICUNER |url=https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/listedresources/Detail/921 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=California State Parks |language=en}}</ref>
|}

==See also==
On Spanish Missions in neighboring regions:
* [[Spanish missions in California]]
* [[Spanish missions in New Mexico]]
* [[Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert]] (including Sonora and southern Arizona)

On general missionary history:
* [[Catholic Church and the Age of Discovery]]
* [[List of the oldest churches in Mexico]]

On colonial Spanish American history:
* [[Spanish colonization of the Americas]]
* [[California mission clash of cultures]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.nps.gov/tuma/learn/historyculture/missions.htm National Park Service, Kino Missions]
* [http://parentseyes.arizona.edu/missions/ Arizona Education, Kino Missions]

{{Spanish Missions}}
{{Spanish Empire}}

[[Category:Spanish missions in Arizona| ]]
[[Category:New Spain]]
[[Category:Colonial Mexico]]
[[Category:Colonial United States (Spanish)]]
[[Category:Jesuit history in North America]]
[[Category:History of Catholicism in the United States]]
[[Category:Spanish colonization of the Americas]]
[[Category:Spanish Colonial architecture in Arizona| ]]
[[Category:Former Spanish colonies]]