Catholic Info
Traditional Catholic Faith => General Discussion => Topic started by: s2srea on April 16, 2012, 02:12:43 PM
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My dad took the families of my sister and I to this mission yesterday after mass. It was a wonderful trip. Thought I'd share the photos here with you. This mission is San Luis Rey de Francia, or St. Louis the King of France, who ruled in the 13th century. There are a total of 21 missions in California, and their purpose was the spread of Christianity amongst the Native Americans who dwelt in these lands. Of all the missions, San Luis Rey was, and is, the largest. Construction began, as simple poles and tule, in 1811; adobe bricks, fired clay tiles, and wooden timber were used. Its one of only two mission Churches built in the shape of a cross. Hope you enjoy!
A view from outside:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MZ2U1UTtlmE/T4xmVvoY94I/AAAAAAAAGLc/Mb-s324nRBM/s800/01.jpg)
Another outside shot:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-r8rcdHIhJEQ/T4xmVqORuQI/AAAAAAAAGLY/imjKcyrYxYE/s800/02.jpg)
A hallway just outside the entrance to the sanctuary:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yZ7ZdFj9zLw/T4xmVmSmfrI/AAAAAAAAGLg/YcDtPDR19gA/s800/03.jpg)
Beautiful aesthetics in the ceiling:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mroio5KvUE4/T4xmWlmSjLI/AAAAAAAAGL4/wMl_hKklN80/s800/04.jpg)
Getting closer to the main altar, there is a chapel of the Madonna to the right, not in the view of this image though; original wooden pulpit to the left of the image; no microphones needed here; all perfect acoustics:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DgckkY6WXio/T4xmWVk4LHI/AAAAAAAAGL0/OKYO7Yx4VL0/s576/05.jpg)
Of course it looked much more spectacular in real life, but here's a shot of the beautiful domed ceiling; it contains a cupola with 144 panes of glass; they were replaced in the 1930s:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-H5yBxmiBnes/T4xmWUdDHcI/AAAAAAAAGLw/jRVdCAGzQD0/s800/07.jpg)
A view of the main altar (Its overwhelming to think of how many Sacrifices were done here over the centuries!:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tMcZI4lcCBM/T4xmeQSJU4I/AAAAAAAAGPM/eEK7ITNbYbw/s800/6.jpg)
Another view of the main altar; San Luis Rey on the top, Sts. Michael(R) and Raphael(L) on either side of him; in the middle are St. Joseph (left) and the Blessed Virgin Mary (right)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NdMktYn49pQ/T4xme1X-sKI/AAAAAAAAGPs/Xj5WB1jIeDE/s576/8.jpg)
Right side altar to the right of the main altar; This one is of St. Francis of Assisi (founder of the Franciscan Order, of course); the center statue of of St. Francis, to the left is the Mater Delorosa (Sorrowful Mother); the the right is St. Elizabeth of Hungary:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2rn0uwp84hQ/T4xmfjPUhII/AAAAAAAAGPQ/JYrRl-vd0N4/s800/9.jpg)
This is the left side, "Ecce Homo" altar; the sculpture depicts the suffering Christ just before his crucifixion; to the left is San Xavier (St. Francis Xavier) and to the right is St. Anthony;
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iSCBk53ec-k/T4xmXPNrB_I/AAAAAAAAGMI/wXESgdG4Ofg/s576/10.jpg)
The Ecce Homo statue is an 19th century piece from Mexico, and stands 62 inces tall; the wood statue has porcelain teeth and movable joints;
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sF2UubNjTrs/T4xmXekd8kI/AAAAAAAAGMY/c3e1oqsmqjA/s576/11.jpg)
Looking back out (sorry for the quality!)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-87n-rqQti10/T4xmXzAZt9I/AAAAAAAAGMo/16UrvWHzE2s/s576/13.jpg)
Baptistry; this is the same font, made of hand hammered copper with iron hardware, which was used by Fr. Peyri to baptize new Christians:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hhLbLsjFUIU/T4xmX0aDpdI/AAAAAAAAGMc/t8FnzGLk9ps/s576/14.jpg)
Describing the oldest pepper tree in California, in the foreground:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AEd_A7sxqPQ/T4xmYaY5RgI/AAAAAAAAGMs/0HK1rMgKS3c/s800/15.jpg)
The pepper tree planted by Fr. Peyri
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0gHaxr8Kgus/T4xmYvHRNxI/AAAAAAAAGM8/2xu6QOso9B4/s800/16.jpg)
(https://picasaweb.google.com/110342940698540850847/SanLuisReyMissionApril152012#5732069001585070322)
Ruins of a military post used by the US infantry which marched from Iowa in 1846, the longest march in history without firing a shot:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dTuFkN9nE3Y/T4xma2UF9BI/AAAAAAAAGNw/uId0CBBfP7k/s800/23.jpg)
My sister and wife walking with my twin daughters to the lavanderia (coming up):
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I43AEnVQlyU/T4xma-_OqNI/AAAAAAAAGN4/JcO5up6lMV4/s800/25.jpg)
My 3 girls
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OoRbhAegaLc/T4xmbtlpvGI/AAAAAAAAGOM/5IN-P7UPLV4/s800/27.jpg)
Enterance to the Lavanderia:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xhwpNI8kV18/T4xmbmIGqJI/AAAAAAAAGOI/a8cJwa5p5N4/s800/26.jpg)
Descriptive of what the Lavanderia was:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-itwR46jy0PI/T4xmcxFCrOI/AAAAAAAAGOs/_V-5tBAOeVI/s800/31.jpg)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PaoMi0z4ps8/T4xmd5_oc3I/AAAAAAAAGO4/LqXel133mNg/s800/32.jpg)
This is where the water would come out of the gargoyle's mouth so the indito's (indians) would be able to wash their clothes:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y4g_Pbzov0U/T4xmdC-Q1CI/AAAAAAAAGOo/-64V2adTblU/s800/33.jpg)
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Here are 2 videos I took, hopefully they catch the grandeur better:
This is from the rear of the church, the Madonna chapel to the right (sorry its sideways!):
http://youtu.be/W1OOkTpJjOs
This is near the 3 main altars:
http://youtu.be/lDXnrPsGyRs
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Thank you...the photos are beautiful...I've been to this mission, but it has been quite a few years, and it looks just as I remember it. I'll have to take another trip there soon...it's on the way to Del Mar. I also like to visit San Juan Capistrano Mission....the swallows return there every year.
I live fairly close to the San Gabriel Mission...that one is beautiful too...been going there since I was a child.
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Very nice, thanks for sharing.
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These were lovely. I have been to the Santa Barbara Mission, (which is spectacular) and the Ventura mission (which is just okay).
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Bernadette- I'm ashamed to say I've not yet gone to the San Gabriel Mission, which is only a few miles from where I used to live with my in-laws in West Covina. I've yet to go to San Juan Capistrano, but I know its also supposed to be beautiful.
Thanks Myrna and Sigismund! Sig- I've been to both the Santa Barbera and BuenaVentura missions and I agree. When I was stationed up north I'd visited the mission where Fr. Junipero Serra was buried if I remember correctly; it was the San Francisco mission.
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Do try to visit the San Gabriel Mission if you've ever the chance...It is beautiful...and the San Juan Capistrano as well, though richer and more touristy..I believe they have a Latin Mass in the old Mission San Juan Capistrano every Sunday at 8 a.m. (in the Serra Chapel), it used to be standing room only if you didn't arrive early...
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These are so very awesome!
Thank you so much for sharing California's Catholic heritage!
May the intercession of Fray Junipero Serra and of his Seraphic Patriarch, St. Francis, bring about the conversion of California. The holy grace of the almighty and merciful God and the patronage of His Blessed Mother can work prodigies that exceed even our highest aspirations and our most profound longings.
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Thank you for sharing the photos!
I lived in San Diego for eight years and loved the place but now I regret now making a pilgrimage to each famous Mission!
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Thanks for sharing. One thing I love about older architecture, that these mission churches so beautifully exemplify, is the seamless connection between the buildings and the surrounding gardens.
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Hobbles- thank you! A priest who was mentioned on another thread recently, Fr. Hewko, who had a profound influence in my spiritual life taught me to have a great love for Fr. Serra. I've also found myself devoted more and more to St. Francis and am awe-struck at the stories of the humility he had. I need a good book on him or his writings.
Capt-McQ- Thank you! Were you in the military when in SD?
SouthernBelle- Yes they really are wonderful works of art. Its tragic that the modernists have taken away the beautiful buildings and architecture once used to glorify God and lift the mind and spirit of man towards Him. The claim that they are used as motive for glorifying man and are an insult to the poor is disgusting and the facts that the building of such churches employed many of the poor and also supported the arts are often ignored.
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Very nice pics, s2srea! Thank you for sharing them. Those are some of the most beautiful pics I have ever seen.
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Thanks buddy :cheers:
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Nice pics! Has the outside of the Mission been remodelled, it looks somehow too whitewashed.
I think the California missions are partly responsible for converting me. I recall visiting a tiny one near Dana Point, can't remember what it's called, with my girlfriend of the time, when I was 22 or 23. I was definitely not in a good place spiritually, let's put it that way. But I remember feeling this sense of peace come over me, I didn't want to leave. It took me a lot longer to figure out that that peace comes from the faith. I probably thought it was the nice gardens. Now I can tell the difference between this feeling I had, which was the Holy Ghost trying to get in, and an appreciation of nature.
It seems the chapels in the Missions are kept fairly intact, not too wreckified. I have a vague memory of being in a dark, almost medieval chapel when I was a kid, it was probably a mission since we went to them on field trips.
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Thanks Raoul. I know it'd been through a renovation within the past few decades. And I remember reading that the paint in the interior of the church was new, though they remained faithful to the colors originally used. I'm not sure if its inclusive of the exterior though. But I can conjure up in my mind other Spanish style buildings where the exteriors are white as well, so perhaps it was originally that color too?