Watch now: A little history of Mission San Xavier del Bac
- By Johanna Eubank
Arizona Daily Star
Johanna Eubank
Online producer
- Updated
In 1700, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino put down the foundations for a church at the village of Bac, on the Santa Cruz River near modern Tucson, to be named after his patron saint, St. Francis Xavier.
Johanna Eubank
Online producer
As featured on
Just in time for Christmas, San Xavier Mission worshippers can rock the baby Jesus in his cradle, thanks to restoration work on the O’odham Nativity scene at the church near Tucson.
Waila, the social dance music adopted by the Tohono O'odham from the Spanish, is the focus of the fifth annual Waila Celebration in Sahuarita.
The ornate facade at the entrance to San Xavier Mission will soon get a much-needed facelift, thanks to a $749,000 grant from the National Park Service.
More information
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- Here's why you should sign up for the Star's Tucson history newsletter
- Close look at Mission San Xavier's intricate entrance reveals surprises
- Buying more ring time for San Xavier Mission's historic bells
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