Dome

Interior, side altar with carved effigy of St. Francis and prayer candles; carved figures in niches with late use of estípite style pilasters; The mission was first founded in 1692 by Jesuits, but the present Mission building was constructed under the direction of Franciscan fathers Juan Bautista Velderrain and Juan Bautista Llorenz between 1783 and 1797. With 7,000 pesos borrowed from a Sonoran rancher, they hired architect Ignacio Gaona, who employed a large workforce of Tohono O'odham (formerly known as Papago) Indians to create the church. They used traditional mud plaster (over low-fire clay brick and stone) incorporating pulp from the prickly pear cactus that “breathes” better and allows excess water to escape. The Mission today is governed by the Tohono O'odham San Xavier Indian Reservation; the building is on the U.S. National Register and the National Landmark lists. The Mission complex includes the church, mortuary chapel, school and convent. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/15/2015)