Mission San Francisco de Espada
This is one of the old Spanish missions in San Antonio, TX, part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The Spanish built five missions near the San Antonio River, with Espada the farthest south, and Mission San Antonio de Valero the farthest north. We now know Mission Valero as The Alamo.
Since The Alamo is sort of in a category all its own, the National Park Service has grouped the other four into a National Historical Park. They all have interesting histories, but I consider this one a bit special because of its isolation on the far south side of town and because of its unpretentious character.
They still hold services in all four mission churches, and when my wife and I had our honeymoon in San Antonio in 1982, we attended the mariachi mass at Mission San Jose, which is the largest of the bunch. Just another way in which San Antonio hangs on to its history and culture.
Mission San Francisco de Espada
This is one of the old Spanish missions in San Antonio, TX, part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The Spanish built five missions near the San Antonio River, with Espada the farthest south, and Mission San Antonio de Valero the farthest north. We now know Mission Valero as The Alamo.
Since The Alamo is sort of in a category all its own, the National Park Service has grouped the other four into a National Historical Park. They all have interesting histories, but I consider this one a bit special because of its isolation on the far south side of town and because of its unpretentious character.
They still hold services in all four mission churches, and when my wife and I had our honeymoon in San Antonio in 1982, we attended the mariachi mass at Mission San Jose, which is the largest of the bunch. Just another way in which San Antonio hangs on to its history and culture.