Every year, a concert that is devoutly Tucson heralds the holidays in the Sonoran Desert: The Patronato’s Christmas at San Xavier.
“This is part of a tradition that goes back 27 years and, for many, defines the beginning of the holiday season in Southern Arizona. It is a perfect opportunity for donors to come for an evening of joy at the mission,” said Miles Green, executive director of the Patronato San Xavier, a nonprofit dedicated to the ethical conservation and preservation of the historic mission located on Tohono O’odham land at 1950 W. San Xavier Road.
The concert, which went virtual during COVID, returned in 2022 to in-person performances at the mission widely considered the finest example of Mexican Baroque architecture in the United States.
“People have sometimes taken the mission for granted, but it is increasingly understood to be in the top tier of heritage buildings in the country,” Green said. “Its international reputation is growing, particularly as we move toward more research-based preservation with experts integrating strategies that are cutting-edge in terms of conservation science.”
He emphasized that architects, historians, conservation experts, scientists and visitors are often astounded by the structure that was built at the same time the foundation was being laid for the original White House.
The annual Patronato’s Christmas at San Xavier concert is one of the most breathtaking holiday events in Tucson. It takes place Dec. 9-10 at the historic San Xavier Mission and this year features the Tucson Girls Chorus, Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, Tucson Arizona Young Men's Ensemble and True Concord Voices & Orchestra.
“People think that all of the history is on the East Coast, so they are amazed to find this jewel sitting in the desert,” Green said. “It is a hidden treasure right in the midst of our community and experts are overwhelmed that this miracle could have been built so beautifully contemporaneously with the founding of our country.”
The space — one of the better-preserved mission interiors in the nation — is a one-of-a-kind setting for the concert, which features a wide range of traditional holiday classics performed by instrumental and vocal soloists against a backdrop of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus and the Tucson Girls Chorus.
Green said the experience is often described as ethereal.
“Many people leave the mission moved to tears because the experience was sublime,” Green said.
Proceeds from the concerts fund mission preservation projects, including the upcoming restoration of the facade, which is estimated to cost about $1.4 million over the next three years.
“This is the last major project on the church proper, and it will bring everything back to a level of sustainable maintenance … our goal within this decade is to have completed all of the major large scale projects on the mission,” said Green.
