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Sangre de Cristo Catholic Church

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1886, The Reverend Jean-Baptiste Pitival. 400 Church Pl.

Facing south toward the former plaza, this adobe church, designed by a French priest, has Gothic elements, including lancet windows. The front-gable roof rises in a steep pitch to a soaring bell tower. The transept was added around 1900, and tan cement stucco has been applied to the adobe. A small chapel added in the rear has a wooden altar homemade with mail-order materials. A large, two-story brick rectory (1920s) at the northeast corner of the church uses both Craftsman and Mediterranean elements and two shades of brick. An adobe storage building at the northwest corner of the church displays a vibrantly colored exterior mural (c. 1987) depicting members of the parish meeting Jesus. The original chapel (1854) stands a half block away, at the northeast corner of Main Street and Church Place, near a stone barn that belonged to the church. Charles Jaquez converted the old chapel to a grocery and subsequently to the family home. Ghost marks on the adobe facade reveal where round-arched openings once were.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Thomas J. Noel

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