Apostle Satiago's Mission in Jalpan: The Defense of Faith

This mission shows in its façade the defense of faith and it’s dedicated to Apostle Santiago is located in Jalpan, facing the main square. It was the first mission built between 1751 and 1758 by Friar Junípero Serra, and it´s considered the most important mission because of its evangelical work.

The façade consists of three horizontal spans. At the centre we find the doorway and each side there is a niche with a figure. St. Peter stands to the left and St. Paul to the right. The first span houses two niches with the image of St. Dominic in the left side, while St. Francis of Assisi stands to the right. In the second span, to the left we see an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and to the right, an image of the Virgin del Pilar. At the centre, a relief of two crossed arms, one of the Franciscan emblems, was carved above the doorway.

Finally in the superior part we can observe a clock, that in 19th century replaced the image of Apostle Santiago.

The figure of a double-headed eagle devouring a serpent, described as a Spanish-Mexican” eagle is located in the base of the façade as a unique element of the Franciscan Missions.

This mission is devoted to San Miguel Arcángel, and is the smallest of all missions in the Sierra Gorda. According to an inscription found inside the church, the mission was probably finished between 1754 and 1758.  Concá’s facade is the smallest of all five missions, and its finial is different from theirs also. It is not a triangular pediment as in the other five churches, but a large basket-handle arch with a sculpture of the Holy Trinity, represented by three identical seated figures whose feet rest on a globe.

The most important relief of Conca´s facade, and probably of all the missions, is located on the right-hand side buttress: the image of a rabbit and below it, a bicephalous snake similar to Jalpan’s Some authors have referred to these reliefs as proof of the syncretism that took place between two cultures, clearly showing the use of native labor, since these figures represent the important indigenous deities of the Sun and the Moon.

The frontispiece of this church is the smallest of all five missions. It is divided into three horizontal spans and five vertical sections. The finial is quite significant. It has in the centre a vase-shaped feature, and in the lowest part, two caryatid angels support with their back and one of their hands the highest section of the finial. The main image in the facade is that of St. Francis, placed in a niche crowned by a polygonal arch, flanked by two angels playing musical instruments. The one on the right is playing the violin, and the one to the left holds a guitar.

It is possible that Friar Juan Ramos de Lora, who lived in this town from 1761 to 1767, was responsible for the construction of this mission, whose facade has the most elaborate iconography of all five missions.
It was dedicated to the Virgin of Nuestra Señora de la Luz, though the statute is not in situ. As in the other missions, the central vertical section is wider, and at the very top there is a large cross, framed by hangings and two thurifer angels kneeling on clouds.

In the side sections flanking the great cross we find, on the left side, the Cross of the Order of Calatrava, which was the emblem of the Dominican Order, and to the right, the Cross of Jerusalem, emblem of the Franciscan Order. Below the crosses, in the main section, was carved a relief representing the stigmatization of St. Francis. To the left of this image stands St. Anthony, and to the right St. Roque.

In the second span, an image of St. Joachim is located to the left, and to the right is St. Anne holding the virgin in her arms. Framed by hangings, and just below the choir window, we see a niche that once housed the statue of Nuestra Señora de la luz, and which is now empty.

The temple was built between 1760 and 1768 by Friar Miguel de la Campa. The church is devoted to the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. Therefore the church is also known by this name. The church’s frontispiece is divided into three spans crowned by a pediment of mixed lines. In the centre of the pediment stands an image of the Archangel St. Michael with a dragon, representing the devil, at his feet.

This church shows the end of the spiritual conquer of Sierra Gorda.