Mission San Jose Facade

This is the amazing front facade at Mission San Juan in San Antonio TX, Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo. The facade features from the top:... more

by Joan Carroll

Title

Mission San Jose Facade

Artist

Joan Carroll

Medium

Photograph - Digital Art

Description

This is the amazing front facade at Mission San Juan in San Antonio TX, Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo. The facade features from the top: a cross, representing Jesus Christ, St. Joseph (San Jose) holding the infant Jesus, St. Dominic and St. Francis, Our Lady of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary), and St. Joachim and St. Anne holding the infant Mary. I read that it had been 'renovated' but I could not find more definitive information on that The present wooden doors in the front facade were carved in 1937 by Peter Mansbendel to replace those removed in the 1880s. Using historic stereoscopic images, Mansbendel reproduced the original door design in 2.5 inch thich Black Wanut. Small doors fitted within the larger ones are used to enter the church. Mansbendel carved these doors in 6 weeks. Founded in 1720, it was built on the banks of the San Antonio river several miles to the south of the earlier mission, San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo). San Jose was the largest of the missions in the area. At its height, the community contained about 350 Indian neophytes, sustained by extensive fields and herds of livestock. Viewed as the model among the Texas missions, San Jose was viewed as the model among the Texas missions and gained a reputation as a major social and cultural center. It became known as the "Queen of the Missions." Mission activities officially ended in 1824. After that, the buildings were home to soldiers, the homeless, and bandits. Thus the mission fell into disrepair. Much of what is visible today was reconstructed by the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s. Today, this is an active parish church in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. The visitor center for all the San Antonio missions is also at this site, making it the busiest aside from the Alamo.

FEATURED PHOTO, 500 VIEWS group, 8/28/15

FEATURED PHOTO, The Road To Self Promotion group, 7/30/15

Uploaded

July 30th, 2015