Ysleta Mission
Ysleta Mission
Ysleta Mission
The oldest of the El Paso mission churches is the Ysleta Mission, located in the community of Ysleta within the city limits of El Paso and part of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish. The parish was established in 1682 and the mission completed in 1692. The Spanish originally named the church Misión de Corpus Christi de Ysleta del Sur but it also has been known as Misión de San Antonio, in honor of the patron saint of the Tigua Indians who have worshipped at the parish since its beginnings and still do today. In 1740, the Rio Grande washed the original church away and settlers began the construction of the new structure in 1744. Like the Socorro Mission, the layout of the Ysleta Mission is an example of the New Mexican style of mission churches which were built during the 17th and 18th centuries, characterized by their linear, boxlike forms, with simplicity in their exterior decoration. In 1907, the church was partially destroyed during a fire, but was reconstructed with the addition of a three-story tower incorporating traditional Spanish mission decorations. Today, the parish has nearly 1,200 registered families.