San Felipe de Neri

I attended Mass today at  the Albuquerque Old Town Church San Felipe de Neri, which is one of the oldest historical buildings in the state and is also designated a Catholic shrine by the Archbishop of Santa Fe. It has an air of antiquity reflecting its place in the history of the Southwest. Remarkably it was a place of worship some 70 years before the Declaration of Independence, going back to the time of the Spanish Conquistadors. It was founded by the Franciscan friars in 1706 under the auspices of the King of Spain, which dates it before any of the Spanish mission churches in California.  In 1821 at the conclusion of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain, it became an official Catholic property of its new country - Mexico.  In 1850  with resolution of the Mexican - American War, the Franciscan friars returned to Mexico and the Church of San Felipe de Neri became part of the newly created Archdiocese of Santa Fe of the Territory of  New Mexico belonging to the Unites States. There is a flagpole in the Old Town plaza which has flown in succession the Crown of Castile's Red (Conquistador Flag of Spain), then the Mexican Eagle, and finally the Stars and Stripe of the USA over the 300 year tenure of San Felipe de Neri Church  -  a chronological flag testimony to the enduring spiritual mission of this church.
 From an architectural perspective the core San Felipe de Neri Church is fairly representative of the Spanish colonial style. The chuch's exterior has a quaint design, buttressed by massive 5 feet thick adobe walls.  In 1861 European style  bell spires were added. They point to heaven and penetrate the skyline of Old Town with a religious presence. Their Gothic design is unique compared to other Spanish mission churches of the same era.
The interior of the San Felipe de Neri church has straight lines and pale blue and gold hues. Comparing the current decor to original drawings and later photos it appears that a skin of a 19th century fabric has been laid over the old interior. The walls are covered with tongue and groove wainscoting to shoulder height. A stamped metal ceiling covers the vigas ( wood beams) which were originally exposed. A brick floor has replaced the traditional hard packed earth of a Spanish mission church. The altar is classic painted marble which is anchored to the exterior wall. The hand-carved confessional gracing the east wall is an example of the finest Spanish woodwork of the 18th century. Beneath the Virgin Mary Altar on the right is a prostate, blood - stained figure of Jesus Christ, a manifestation of classic Spanish Penitente art  . 

It is amazing to step inside a Church and know that over 300 hundred years ago other persons stepped inside the same door for the purpose of worshipping Jesus Christ. The Mass I attended at 1015 AM was packed and the Pastor - Father Dennis Garcia extended a greeting to both parishioners and visitors. He focused his sermon on the Old Testament passage of Nehemiah, who welcomed the exiled Israelites back from Babylon to the ruins of Jerusalem by reading to them from the Torah, just so that they would not forget their identity as God's chosen people. In a similar manner I thought that this ancient Church with its history, architecture and art and thru the Mass and its other services, may inspire Catholics to  keep firm their religious identity. I encourage all Catholic pilgrims in New Mexico to visit San Felipe de Neri Church. It is a pilgrimage into our Southwestern Catholic Christian heritage.
 For Mass times and other services at San Felipe Neri click on

San Felipe de Neri Parish

www.sanfelipedeneri.org/