sanctuary

A couple days ago I found out via the internet that the old Franciscan mission church at San Miguel, CA has reopened.

It was closed by extensive earthquake damage occurring shortly before Christmas, 2003 in the Paso Robles quake of December 22. Prior to that I visited the church frequently, as I found it to be a place which, despite its complex colonial history, exuded an aura of peace, spiritual healing, and deep mystery.

The church at San Miguel opened in 1797, the 16th in the string of California's 21 missions, but it changed locations a couple of times before the old adobe chapel which now houses it was constructed and decorated in 1818-19. Of all the Spanish mission churches in North America, this one and one other, a small adobe chapel at Trampas, New Mexico which dates from 1776, are the most perfectly preserved, and both appear much the same as they did 200 years ago.


The walls of San Miguel have never been repainted, and are covered with frescoes executed by Native American craftsmen under the direction of the Spanish artist Estevan Munras, who cut wall-size stencils for them to use in applying the paints they made themselves from local plants and minerals. Munras was responsible for the over-all design of the chapel interior, including the statue of the Saint behind the altar and the beautiful wooden and cardboard God's eye and accompanying decorations above the wooden statue.

It took millions of dollars and six years to restore this national treasure, which was designated a national historic landmark while the restoration process was ongoing. It was re-dedicated on the saint's feast day, September 29, 2009, and reopened to the public a couple days later, on October 2.

San Miguel and San Jose de Gracia, the old adobe church at Trampas, New Mexico lie nearly on the same latitude, separated by approximately 1,000 miles, most of which is occupied by highway Interstate 40. I should begin planning now for making that trip, from Seattle to San Miguel and thence to Trampas, in the spring of 2011.

Click on the images for larger views.