La Chiquitania

This past weekend I traveled with 15 other students…8 Jesuits, 2 Franciscans, 3 other lay people 1 Maryknoller and 1 Dominican to the Jesuit Chiquitania mission site of Eastern Santa Cruz. In the late 1600s, Spanish Jesuits founded 10 mission communities in what is now Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The Jesuits and Native Americans worked together in a successful integrative community that now boasts the history of both groups…the Catholic Church and the Chiquitania.

7 original churches have been restored and the communities today proudly display their rich heritage and inculturation successes! We visited two of the communities: San Javier and Concepcion. San Javier was the first community established (circa 1650) and Concepcion is the largest and considered to be the “jewel” of sorts. Below are pictures of my travels to each!

The trip to the missions involved a flight from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz and then a 4.5 hour bus ride from the airport to the mission sites. It was a long trip but well worth it!

Our tour guide, Mercedes, was incredible… she was incredibly knowledgeable on everything from community life today to the Church’s mission way back when. She brought her 11 year old niece on the tour too…Cristina and I became quick friends…each of us providing a welcomed repose from the 15 other men on the trip. I am convinced that through kids is the best way to learn another language…Cristina just began learning English and she helped me with my homework on the long bus rides!

Our crew with community members in Concepcion after a dance in their village.

The church: Inmaculada Concepción

Wooden cross in the courtyard outside of San Javier.

Altar at San Javier

Baroque choir giving a concert at San Javier

Cristina and me talking with Juancito the Parrot in Concepcion.

An orchid growing in a garden in Concepcion.

Piglets in Concepcion.


Every inch of ceiling, wall and floor is covered in design of either gold, mica or paint.

Shrine in Concepcion

A wooden angel takes the place of each Station of the Cross in San Javier...the missionaries desired to replace the images of Christ's suffering with angels, for they brought forth colorful images of hope to the Chiquitania people.