Mission Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, May 21, 2013

We're on our way to Monterey, which also rhymes. We did stop at two missions along the way. The second one is Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz. <smile>
http://www.holycrosssantacruz.com/mission.html#mmhistory
Mission Santa Cruz was founded September 25, 1791 by Father Ferm ín Francisco de Lasuén, the successor of Father Junípero Serra. "Santa Cruz" means "Holy Cross" in Spanish. The full Spanish name of the mission is "Misión la exaltación de la Santa Cruz," named after a feast day in the Church calendar which occurs on September 14: The Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Although this is a model, it
shows how the mission looks today.

I only photographed this end of the building.

Looking in.

Looking out.

Beautiful writing in Latin.

The altar with a missing figure.

Top figure.

Figure on the left.

Pews with engraved cross.

Light fixture.

I don't know if this figure is Our Lady of Guadalupe. I do know she is beautiful.

These two photos are of the same lady.

Side view.

In the museum.

The baptismal font was used in
the original mission. It has
survived several earthquakes.

You know I love old books!
These are so fragile, I don't know
if they are readable.

YES! I love this one.

Small and lovely garden.

Fountain.

Lovely flowers in the fountain.

Another lovely water lily.

Fr. Serra

Mary

Across the street and across the corner
is the Holy Cross Catholic Church.

In 1889, the construction of the present brick gothic church, under Rev. Hugh McNamee, marks the end of the transition from Mission Santa Cruz to Holy Cross Parish. On September 25, 1891, the citizens of Santa Cruz erected a granite archway in front of the church to commemorate the founding of Mission Santa Cruz. New buildings graced the parish from the 1920s through the 1960s, including the high school and rectory. From 1982 to 1984, the interior of the church was renovated in preparation for the 1989 centennial. In 1989 the church was formally consecrated. Then on October 17, 1989, the earth shook again. The church was declared unsafe, and services were moved to the parish hall. On June 30, 1990, the parish hall itself burned down! Services were moved to the school courtyard, and then into a tent pavilion.
Holy Cross Parish today
During the ten years after the earthquake, the church was repaired and retrofitted, along with the convent and the Mission Chapel. A new parish hall and gym were completed in 1999, and a Historic Garden was begun over the old Mission burial grounds in tribute to our Native American brothers and sisters.

On the way out of town we found this delightful deli.

We ate here for a late lunch.

Good California veggie plate with shrimp.