San Agustín de la Isleta Mission
Encyclopedia
San Agustín de la Isleta Mission, built in 1612, was a Spanish Mission
in what is now Bernalillo County
, New Mexico
, United States
. It was a religious outpost established by Spanish
Catholic Franciscan
s, to spread Christianity
among the local Native Americans
.
Isleta Pueblo
is the name of two pueblos of the ancient Tiwa
(Spanish
: Tigua) tribe, of remote Shoshoncan stock. The San Agustin de la Isleta Mission was founded on the older pueblo, on the west bank of the Rio Grande
about 13 miles (21 km) south of Albuquerque
.
The original Isleta (i.e. islet) was so named by the Spaniards from its position on a tongue of land projecting into the stream; the native name, Shiewhibak, seems to refer to a knife used in connection with a certain ceremonial foot race. It was first entered by the Spanish conquistador
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
in 1540, and again in 1582-3 by Espejo (q.v.) while trying to ascertain the fate of Father Rodriguez and two other Franciscan missionaries who had been murdered by native people in the vicinity a year earlier.
Before 1629, it had become the seat of the Franciscan mission of San Antonio. At a later period, it received many refugees from outlying pueblos abandoned in consequence of Apache
raids, until at the outbreak of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 it may have numbered 2000 people. Due to the large number of Spaniards at the time, most were not hurt. The pueblo was burned and the remaining pueblo people went south to El Paso, Texas
to the mission of San Antonio.
In 1692-3, Vargas reconquered the Pueblo country and mission work was soon after resumed. In approximately 1710, the original pueblo was reoccupied by the Isleta people, and a new mission established there under the name of San Agustin.
With the growth of the Spanish population, the importance of the Native American missions correspondingly decreased. In 1780-1, one-third of the Pueblo population was swept away by smallpox
, in consequence of which most of the missions were abandoned, but that at Isleta continued to exist under Spanish and Mexican rule for fifty years longer, when it became virtually a secular church.
In 1923,Father Anton Docher
undertook a major remodeling of the Isleta mission, constructing prominent spires on the adobe walls. At this time, the sloping roof was constructed to avoid the water leaks which destroyed the altar constantly. The mission has now been restored to the initial frame. "The Padre of Isleta" spent 34 years (1891–1925) in Isleta where he is now buried near the church altar.
Spanish missions in New Mexico
The Spanish Missions in New Mexico were a series of religious outposts established by Franciscan friars under charter from the governments of Spain and New Spain to convert the local Pueblo, Navajo and Apache Indians to Christianity. The missions also aimed to pacify and Hispanicize the natives...
in what is now Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*69.4% White*3.0% Black*4.8% Native American*2.3% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.4% Two or more races*16.0% Other races*47.9% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was a religious outpost established by Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Catholic Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s, to spread Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
among the local Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
.
Isleta Pueblo
Isleta Pueblo
Isleta Pueblo is an unincorporated Tanoan pueblo in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States, originally established around the 14th century.-Overview:...
is the name of two pueblos of the ancient Tiwa
Tiwa people
The Tiwa are group of related Tanoan pueblo peoples in New Mexico and Texas. They traditionally spoke a Tiwa language , and are divided into the two Northern Tiwa groups, in Taos and Picuris, and the Southern Tiwa in Isleta and Sandia, around what is now Albuquerque, and near El Paso.-Name:Tiwa is...
(Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Tigua) tribe, of remote Shoshoncan stock. The San Agustin de la Isleta Mission was founded on the older pueblo, on the west bank of the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
about 13 miles (21 km) south of Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
.
The original Isleta (i.e. islet) was so named by the Spaniards from its position on a tongue of land projecting into the stream; the native name, Shiewhibak, seems to refer to a knife used in connection with a certain ceremonial foot race. It was first entered by the Spanish conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542...
in 1540, and again in 1582-3 by Espejo (q.v.) while trying to ascertain the fate of Father Rodriguez and two other Franciscan missionaries who had been murdered by native people in the vicinity a year earlier.
Before 1629, it had become the seat of the Franciscan mission of San Antonio. At a later period, it received many refugees from outlying pueblos abandoned in consequence of Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
raids, until at the outbreak of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 it may have numbered 2000 people. Due to the large number of Spaniards at the time, most were not hurt. The pueblo was burned and the remaining pueblo people went south to El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
to the mission of San Antonio.
In 1692-3, Vargas reconquered the Pueblo country and mission work was soon after resumed. In approximately 1710, the original pueblo was reoccupied by the Isleta people, and a new mission established there under the name of San Agustin.
With the growth of the Spanish population, the importance of the Native American missions correspondingly decreased. In 1780-1, one-third of the Pueblo population was swept away by smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, in consequence of which most of the missions were abandoned, but that at Isleta continued to exist under Spanish and Mexican rule for fifty years longer, when it became virtually a secular church.
In 1923,Father Anton Docher
Anton Docher
Anton Docher was a French Roman Catholic priest, missionary and defender of the Indians. He was born in 1852 in Le Crest, a small wine growing village of Puy de Dôme in Auvergne. He lived in the pueblo of Isleta in the state of New Mexico for 34 years...
undertook a major remodeling of the Isleta mission, constructing prominent spires on the adobe walls. At this time, the sloping roof was constructed to avoid the water leaks which destroyed the altar constantly. The mission has now been restored to the initial frame. "The Padre of Isleta" spent 34 years (1891–1925) in Isleta where he is now buried near the church altar.
See also
- Spanish missions in New MexicoSpanish missions in New MexicoThe Spanish Missions in New Mexico were a series of religious outposts established by Franciscan friars under charter from the governments of Spain and New Spain to convert the local Pueblo, Navajo and Apache Indians to Christianity. The missions also aimed to pacify and Hispanicize the natives...
- See a photography of the mission in 1867