Basilica Review - Mission Dolores
Properly called Mission San Francisco de Asís, but everyone calls it Mission Dolores, this is actually a Basilica and an old Mission building side-to-side. How old, you ask? Literally the oldest standing structure in San Francisco, completed in 1791.
Mission
The Mission is the near one.
Inside Mission:
The inside feels properly sacred. It is long and tall and solemn. Someone’s mortal remains are interred within/under it, which is a requirement for proper Major Holy Building in my book.
You get a sense of the building-people’s culture within it. It also imparts the material circumstances of its builders. It is impressive, in a way that says “these people were poor, and they cared so much that they dedicated a lot of their life effort to make this place for themselves.” This is the beauty that a small, poor community can create, and it is wonderful. It has so much heart.
The walls are four feet thick! A testament to the poor materials available, and the amount of effort needed to compensate. I wanted to say this is classic overbuilding, but if every neighboring structure (including the less-holy parts of the mission) were reduced to rubble over the centuries and only this remains standing, it seems like this is the correct-amount of building.
The main alter within. Carved wood, painted:
Graveyard
To one side lies the graveyard. It has the proper graveyard aesthetic. I consider it “small” because my baseline is the massive grave-fields of modern cities, but it feels appropriate. The soul of the place is more important than the size.
There is a hut within the graveyard, a model of the dwellings of the indigenous peoples. Remarkably, there was an offering to the dead within it!
Three feathers placed into the ground in a row, along with three bottled waters, and a snack triple-pack. Obviously three people that were very special to someone, probably either relatives or having died in a single incident. It was moving to see this. It reminded me that for most of human history, religion was an intensely real and present phenomenon. You brought the dead the things that they would use right now. The things that YOU use right now. I’ve heard a good translation is the words that the original writer would have written if he was fluent in your language, rather than a direct translation. Bottled water and snack-packs are the modern translation of what our ancestors did. I think they would approve.
Basilica
The Basilica to the other side of the Mission was built in 1918.
I don’t yet know the technical difference between a Cathedral and a Basilica, but I associate Cathedrals with High Gothic architecture, and this obviously is not, so I’m sticking with the official designation of Basilica today.
The Basilica is materially a more majestic and impressive place. The vastness and splendor have leveled up several times. It is the same community saying “Look at us now. We have achieved much, we are now far richer in so many aspects. We have done well by our ancestors.” I like it, it is good to be proud of what you’ve accomplished. The juxtaposition between the Mission and the Basilica made for a great visiting experience.
Tranquility and awe vibes are solid.
Goth Jesus vs Hippie Jesus
They did the coolest damn thing in this Basilica. They have two opposing aspects of Jesus facing each other across the transept! The south transept was brightly illuminated and held an all-white statue of Hippie Jesus—arms welcoming, a heart literally carved on his chest. The north transept was cast in red light, housing a pure-black crucified Jesus—arms splayed, head thrown back, literally as goth as it is possible to be while not dancing.
It was nice to see both sides of the SF counter culture represented here, in honorable rivalry.
It’s All About Mary
I was thrust right into the Hispanic variety of Catholicism here, which strongly centers Mary. How much do they center Mary, you ask? Check out the alter:
Bedecked with roses, and focused squarely on Mary to the near-exclusion of Jesus. See the wooden beam that’s supporting her backdrop? The central support column has INRI on it. Yup, that’s the cross, used as backdrop-support for Mary. It is impressive how thoroughly she’s dethroned him. Personally I prefer the more Jesus-y Catholicism, but I’m also a dude. It made me have thoughts about female-led cultural transmission vs male-led, which I will explore some day in a different post. I’m happy there are multiple options for varied religious tastes, but I acknowledge I have no stake in this fight, so… /shrug
Verdict
Definitely a good experience. Probably not worth traveling for, but there’s a lot of reasons to come to San Francisco. If you’re there already for another reason, this is a great use of your hours. Recommended.