Jesuit Priest Father Eusebio Francisco Kino was the first European to map the region of modern day Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora. His definitive Pimeria Alta map that located many now familiar historic landmarks was completed in 1702. Father Kino died March 15, 1711 in Magdalena, Mexico (Discovery Date and Time: March 15, 9:30 a.m.)

Today March 15, 2013, exactly 302 years after Padre Kino’s death many of us gathered at the Gutierrez Bridge before 9:30 a.m. to watch the sun shine through the image of one of the San Xavier del Bac Mission towers laser-cut in the shade canopy over the bridge, to align with that history and map embossed into the sidewalk along the pedestrian walkway. (You really have to see it to believe it, as I did on February 19, 2013 when I watched the shadow of the propeller blade image on the canopy align with pioneer Charles Hamilton’s bi-plane embossed image on the pavement.)

Photos above and below taken by former Tucson Citizen reporter Teya Vitu, which may help you to understand how the architect David Dobler of Structual Design Inc. aligned the 12 historic pavement images with the laser-cut drawings on the overhead canopies. He worked with bridge artist Brenda Semanick on this creation.

Shadow on San Xavier mission aligning at 9:30 a.m. with historic embossed history of Father Eusebio Kino, courtesy of Teya Vitu

Further background explanation and photos of this solar art project and bridge construction can be found at freelance writer Teya Vitu’s article “Solar Art Greets Pedestrians on new Luis G. Gutierrez Bridge” (click here).

Architect Dobler was present today to explain his work, as well as Charity Bidegain who created the facebook page for this project: www.facebook.com/luisggutierrezbridge which has photos and information about other Discovery Dates.

Attorney Mark O’Hare of the Kino Heritage Society passed out copies today of Padre Kino’s map of the Pimeria Alta, and info on an E-book which is on their website. The book is entitled “Padre Kino and the Trail to the Pacific”. Also on their website is a link about the newest book of the German Jesuit missionaries written by my husband UA Distinguished Professor Albrecht Classen, “Early History of the Southwest Through the Eyes of German-Speaking Jesuit Missionaries, A Transcultural Experience in the Eighteenth Century”.

Attendees at today’s solar alignment Discovery Date including architect David Dobler, Mark O’Hare of Kino Heritage Society, UA Professor/author Albrecht Classen, courtesy of Teya Vitu

Discovery Date solar calendar events at Luis G. Gutierrez bridge, with exact days/times:

Feb. 19 at 8:45 a.m.: First airplane flight by Charles Hamilton
Feb. 21 at 8:45 a.m.: First Rodeo (Fiesta de Los Vaqueros) Parade
March 15 at 9:30 a.m.: Date of Father Eusebio Kino’s death
March 20 at 8:30 a.m.: First Southern Pacific Railroad train to arrive
April 10 at 9:30 a.m.: First Mariachi conference
May 25 at 10:30 a.m.: Phoenix Mars Lander lands on Mars
June 1 at noon: The first electric streetcar
June 24 at 10:30 a.m.: El Dia de San Juan as proclaimed by explorer Francisco Coronado
July 3 at 10:45 a.m.: The monsoon seasons begins
Aug. 20 at 9:30 a.m.: The Presidio San Agustin de Tucson founded
Oct. 14 at 8:45 a.m.: Tucson Pressed Brick Company (founder Quintus Monier’s death date)
Oct. 26 at 8:15 a.m.: Commander Juan Bautista de Anza arrived at Santa Cruz River, on way to California

Upcoming in a few days will be the March 20 Discovery Date event when you can watch the shadow on the railway spike align with the historic pavement image of the first Southern Pacific train to arrive in Tucson. Be there just before 8:30 a.m.

Kino Heritage Festival events on May 19:

12:30 and 1:15 pm
Two Mission Tours by The Docents of Patronato San Xavier – Tour 45 minutes
The mission tours by the Patronato are conducted daily and are opened to the public. The Patronato San Xavier is a nonsectarian, nonprofit organization founded by Southern Arizona community leaders in 1978 to promote the restoration, maintenance and preservation of Mission, a National Historic Landmark. The docents are volunteers from the community, trained in the history, architecture, and culture of the Mission San Xavier and its surroundings. See www.patronatosansavier.org.

2:00 to 2:20 pm
Opening Remarks and talk on the history of Father Kino and the People of San Xavier del Bac (in the Church).

2:30 to 3:00 pm
Classic Music Concert by the Tucson’s Dolce Musica Quintet. The members of the woodwind quintet are Barb Bayless, Christie Blute, Lorraine Callahan, David Eckertand, Sherry Jameson who are members of the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra (in the Church).
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3:00 to 4:30 pm
Courtyard Reception with Book Signing, Art Show, Live Music and other entertainment in the beautiful Mission San Xavier courtyard and arcades.

Book Signing
Artist and author Edna San Miguel will sign her recent book “Mission San Xavier … A Story of Saints and Angels, Art and Artists”. Edna beautifully tells the story of our internationally famous mission in both English and Spanish text along with her enchanting illustrations. She relates the mission’s history, architecture and statuary and other art and the efforts of the international team of conservators to preserve it. Edna’s book is published by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press. See www.ednasanmiguelart.com

Art Show featuring local artists including art displayed by artist and author Edna San Miguel and Joan Grecchi.

Live Music and other entertainment including traditional music of Arizona and Sonora.

The Mission Museum and the Mission Gift Shop will be open during its regular hours.
See the Mission’s website at www.sanxaviermission.org.

Note: The two tours are at 12:30 and 1:15 pm. The main festival events start at 2:00 pm.

The San Xavier Mission and the Kino Heritage Society are joining with communities across Sonora and Arizona during the month of May by having the Kino Festival at the San Xavier Mission on Saturday afternoon May 19th from 12:30 to 4:30 pm.

Our Festival is part of the regional celebrations in Arizona and Sonora from May 16th to May 20th that honor the life of Jesuit missionary and explorer Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino.

The Tubac Presidio State Historical Park (Friday May 18 to Sunday May 20) and the Tumacacori National Historical Park (Wednesday May 16- Special Mission Guevavi and Calabasas Tour; Thursday May 17 Events at Park Headquarters) are also participating and having their own Kino Festivals.

The flyer above has a beautiful image of the pen and ink drawing of Ted DeGrazia’s (courtesy of the DeGrazia Foundation) of the San Xavier Mission and its people.

More details for San Xavier, Tubac and Tumacacori Festivals when they become available at www.padrekino.com.

Tumacacori National Historic Park would appreciate an RSVP on the tour to (520) 398-2341, extension 0.

Anita Badertscher
Acting Chief of Interpretation
Tumacácori National Historical Park
P.O. Box 8067
Tumacacori, AZ 85640
(520) 398-2341, ext. 74 (enter 174#), or 0 for the visitor center.

Father Philipp Segesser, courtesy of Georg von Segesser

Swiss Jesuit missionary Philipp Segesser (1689 to 1762) followed famous Jesuit missionary Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino (1645 to 1711) into the Pimeria Alta of Southern Arizona (18th- century Sonora, Mexico).

His letters in Swiss German (mostly to his family in Lucerne) have been read and translated by my husband German Studies University Distinguished Professor Albrecht Classen. Quote below from the summary intro:

The early history of Sonora/Arizona (Pimeria Alta) was profoundly influenced and determined by the Jesuit missionaries from Europe. After Padre Eusebio Kino’s death in 1711, an increasing number of German-speaking Jesuits arrived in our region and soon dominated the entiry missionary district. We have known so far well about the Fathers Ignaz Pfefferkorn or Joseph Och.

The Swiss Philipp Segesser, one of the most effective, pragmatic, and industrious members of the Jesuit Order active here in the Southwest, has not yet been fully noticed because his large collection of letters have never been translated into English.

Segesser’s reports about his daily life in our region, his insightful observations about local agriculture, fauna, flora, climate, and geology, and his numerous comments about the native Indians, their life styles, clothing, food, hunting habits, religion, and culture at large prove to be most intriguing and fascinating.

The introduction and excerpts of letters (translated into English) of a forthcoming book* are now online at his webpage at:
http://aclassen.faculty.arizona.edu/transcription_letters_0. These particular excerpts pertain to life in the Tucson area and San Xavier del Bac mission, located in the Tohono O’odham Nation southwest of Tucson at 1950 W. San Xavier Road.

See also the pre-print online versions of all Segesser’s letters (click here).

I’ve written before about Padre Kino and the Kino Heritage Society (click here) and other Padre Kino events celebrating the recent 300th anniversary of his death (click here).

*Due to state budget cuts this book will not be published in print by the Arizona State Museum.
(updated June 13, 2011)

The pictures above are worth a thousand words (from me). I recently enjoyed an art show at this renovated Bates Mansion, which is a fabulous place downtown. It’s at the old Mountain Oyster Club locale, on the SW corner of Stone Avenue and Franklin. Enjoy this fiesta!

Last night I attended the preview opening of a special exhibit “Our Padre on Horseback” honoring the 300th anniversary of the death of Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino, S.J. (1645 to 1711), at the Diocese of Tucson Archives at 300 S. Tucson Blvd. The exhibit itself depicts 16 of the 24 missions that Padre Kino founded, with photos, maps, drawings and several lovely Ted DeGrazia reprints. Last night Bishop Gerald Kicanas and Father Chris Corbally spoke of the work of Padre Kino and the Kino Heritage Society. Father Corbally aptly said that Kino “used all his knowledge and survival skills to bring people to God”. Padre Kino is remembered as a “Missionary & Explorer, Friend of Native Peoples, Founder of 24 missions, Scientist & Map maker, Candidate for Sainthood, and Arizona’s First Cattleman.”

This exhibit will run through May 30, 2011, hours of operation M, T, TH, F from 9 to 4 p.m., phone 520-886-5201. (The archives bldg. is at the south end of this property shared with St. Ambrose Parish & School.)

Additional upcoming weekend events to mark the 300th anniversary of Padre Kino’s death, which was on March 15, 1711:

Concerts in honor of Padre Kino by Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra– Sat. March 12, 7:30 p.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral, and Sunday March 13, 3 p.m. Catalina Foothills H.S. Auditorium (4300 E. Sunrise Dr.), $20 admission for each.

Memorial Mass on Sunday March 13, 12 noon, St. Augustine Cathedral, Diocese of Tucson Celebrates Padre Kino’s Life, 192 S. Stone Avenue.

Tucson Festival of Books, Sunday March 13, 4 p.m. University of Arizona Student Union, Catalina Room, “The Trail of Arizona’s First Cowboy & Missionary Explorer” by a panel of authors(Ben Clevenger, Deni Seymour, Jacqueline Soule). Free event.

For more details & events, log onto Kino Heritage Society website, www.padrekino.com. And for my earlier blog on Padre Kino & the Kino Heritage Society click here.

Kino Mission Concert Series

artwork of Padre Kino, from their website

Mission San Agustin

“Christmas in the Southwest” and “Misa Criolla” by Ariel Ramirez

Tucson Masterworks Chorale

Christopher B. Thomas, Guest Director

Date: Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010

Time: 7:00 pm

Place: St. Augustine’s Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, Arizona

General: $15, Seniors/students $12, children free if accompanied by an adult.

Notes: Concert commemorating Padre Kino’s Tucson Entrada in November 1692 and the founding of the Mission San. Agustin. Read about Padre Kino’s first journey to Tucson in a featured article by Kino Heritage Society’s Secretary Raul E. Ramirez at Kino Legacy (click here).

For more information on the concert: Tucson Masterworks Chorale, Phone: (520)730-5640 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (520)730-5640      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
“The concert will begin with Mexican baroque, the likely music that Padre Kino heard when he first arrived in Mexico City. It will move on to include music set to Pima Indian texts, since Padre Kino worked closely with the Native Americans. A beautiful collection of “Carols and Lullabies – Christmas in the Southwest”, accompanied by harp, guitar, and marimba, will close the first half of the concert. The second half will be devoted to the exciting work, Misa Criolla by Ariel Ramirez.”

Reception to follow at San Augustine Cathedral Parish Hall.

My prevous blog on the Kino lecture & other events leadng up to the 300th anniversary of Padre Kino’s death in 2011 (click here.)

St. Augustine Cathedral in downtown Tucson