Mission San Gabriel Arcangel - San Gabriel, California
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 34° 05.800 W 118° 06.394
11S E 397924 N 3773426
Historic Catholic mission church in San Gabriel, California.
Waymark Code: WM51GD
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 10/26/2008
Views: 19
MISSION SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL, 314 Mission Dr., now a parish church, was
founded in 1771 by order of Fray Junipero Serra.. The small band of monks sent
from San Diego to establish San Gabriel were met upon arrival by a large band of
painted savages who swooped down upon them. Resourcefully, the priests unfurled
their banner on which was a painting of the Madonna, whereupon so the story goes
the warriors threw down their weapons, made submission, and brought gifts. With
energy the priests constructed their mission and founded a prosperous,
community. Their chief troubles were due to the turbulence of the Spanish
soldiers stationed with them. When one of them stole an Indian's wife and
beheaded the husband for objecting, "it was only," remarks a commentator, "by
miraculous power that the missionaries were able to keep the Indians in hand."
The original building, swept by river floods, was replaced by the present church
in 1800-1806, and partly rebuilt after the 1812 earthquake. The church,
rectangular in plan, is without the customary front towers. The exterior is
relieved only by slender buttresses that line the long side walls and rise above
the roof, forming pointed finials. The facade is unadorned except for religious
figures set in arched niches high in the face of the two front buttresses. The
gable end has a simple classic pediment. At the rear is a part of the patio,
with one wing of the mission house and a vine-covered gable belfry. 'The main
altar of the church is the most decorative feature of the mission. Its ornate
retablo and reredos antedate the church and were probably brought from Mexico.
The painted and gilded figures of the Saints, the elaborate scrolls and other
ornaments were executed by Indians. Other notable features include the dado and
curious dado crestings, painted on the walls. - California: A Guide to
the Golden State, 1939, Tour 12, pg. 621
The mission church was damaged significantly by the Whittier earthquake in 1987
but has been restored. The mission church remains an active Catholic Church with
two services each Sunday 7:00 A.M. and 9:30 A.M
The Mission church, museum,
grounds, gardens, and gift shop are open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to
4:30 p.m.