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HOW TO GET THERE
To get to the town of San Javier, where the church is
located take the junction to the dirt road of 37 km which is 7 km south
of Loreto, in Kilometer 118 on the Transpeninsular Highway or by plane
to the International Airport of Loreto.
ORIGIN
The site was originally inhabited by the Cochimíes,
who named the place Viggé Biaundó. Jesuit Father Francisco María Píccolo
visited the place on May 11, 1699. He started the construction of a
chapel in October of the same year and Father Juan María de Salvatierra
dedicated it to All Saints the 1st of November. Father Juan de Ugarte,
one of the most esteemed missionaries of the conquest, took charge of
the mission in 1701. He introduced cattle breeding, big and small
species, developed agriculture and taught the locals to thread and knit
wool, not only for themselves, but also for the missionary project in
general. The construction of the Church of San Francisco Javier was
begun in 1744 by Father Miguel del Barco and was finished in 1759.
DESCRIPTION
The church, considered one of the most beautiful and
well preserved of the Californias, was built with stone taken from
quarry from the bed of the brook of Santo Domingo 20 km southeast of San
Javier. Its original barroque appearance has been well preserved; its
interior has: a golden altarpiece with five oleos, brought from Mexico
City in thirty two boxes; two statues: one of San Francisco Javier and
another one of Our Lady of Guadalupe; and a crucifix, all of these are
from the 18th century. It has three bells, two of them are dated 1761
and the other one 1803. There is a monument of that time at the end of
the street that leads to the church. It is known as "the Cross of
Calvary". From there hundreds of pilgrims who visit the patron
saint walk sometimes on their knees.
ACTIVITIES
A visit to the Church of San Francisco Javier.
Festivities of the Patron Saint from the 1st to the 3rd of December. A
visit to the olive orchards planted by the Jesuits. On the way to the
church, a stopover visit to Las Parras Ranch, which has a more than
two-hundred-year-old chapel.
RECOMMENDATIONS
No commercial photography nor video without INAH's
prior permission (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia). In
any case the use of flash is prohibited inside the church.
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Area
Map 1
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