This morning on the way to an inspection I had to get on the mission trail road (Socorro Rd.) to San Elizario. A small community on the out skirts of El Paso. The reason it is called the mission trail road is because there are three missions one can visit off this road. Coming off Joe Battle freeway heading east on Alameda, turning on to Socorro road. The first mission is Ysleta mission, down about three miles more is the Socorro mission and about another three miles one comes to the last mission which is San Elizario.
San Elizario (Capilla De San Elzeario) is named for the 13th-century French patron of the military, St. Elzear; Capilla de San Elzeario was established as part of the Spanish military garrison of Presidio De San Elzeario. It was built in 1789 as a Spanish fort, including a military chapel. It is believed that the first chapel was constructed in a square configuration to conform the box shape in which the perimeter fort was built for defense against Apache and Comanche raids. After Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821, the Presidio was eventually abandoned. Doniphan’s forces found it in ruins when they entered the area in 1846.
In 1853 another small church was built, and in 1887 the present San Elceario Church was completed as the main plaza of the community which bears its name. It is thought that the present church is square in floor plan following the pattern of the original Presidio chapel.
A fire in 1935 damaged the church interior, but it was refurbished by dedicated parishioners. The church’s interior pillars, detailed in gilt, are gracefully connected by sweeping arches that combine European architectural styles with traditions of Texas and New Mexico.
Today San Elizario presides over a proud and picturesque community which is gaining fame as the home off the “First Thanksgiving.” The expedition of Spanish explorer Don Juan de Onate held a thanksgiving feast in 1598 near what is now San Elizario, twenty-three years before the Thanksgiving at Plimoth Colony (now Plymouth) and almost two hundred years before the Spanish constructed their Presidio which evolved into the lovely church of today.
Spanish churches and missions dot the landscape of the southwestern United States, reflecting the breadth and staying power of the Catholic Church’s impact. Here, in the Paso del Norte region, the Rio Grande gave life to the missions, sometimes caused their destruction, and always touched the lives of travelers and residents in the mission communities.
I stopped by there to take some photographs so that you all may see a piece of El Paso’s history (A Texas Historical Landmark.)
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