San Miguel Mission: the ghosts of "The Mission"
The film begins with a powerful shot in which we see a missionary in a cross floating in a river until the waters drag him by an amazing waterfall. The reader may have guessed I'm talking about "The Mission", starring Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro, where the former plays a Jesuit in charge of a mission among the Guarani Indians. The Indian village appears impressive for its architecture and civilization. But everything is destroyed when a spurious agreement between Spain and Portugal that territory gives the Lusitanian, attacking mercilessly. But there was truth in all that?
Determined to find out I looked at the map the area of the Jesuit missions that were in Portuguese America back then, Today Brazil. Visit the most impressive ruins meant a detour from our path, but it appeared that it was worth. We lined up to San Miguel Mission, or Mission San Miguel.
While my truck was moving north and the land was getting redder, my wife read the story. I was fascinated to learn that the fate of these missions was very attached to my post "The Ghosts of the Colony". Gradually the blades Uruguayan hills gave way to more and more vegetation.
It's almost dark when we reached the small Brazilian town. The moonless night promised
As the film showed, Jesuits believed that America could create a new world isolated from the miseries. Indians believed that without contact with European civilization kept his heart and pure soul. Thought them found their new world. And so dozens of Jesuits into the jungle of the confines of the vast Spanish territory (what is now Paraguay, northeastern Argentina and southern Brazil). Some succumbed, organized but several people they called "missions", each with the name of a saint. The Guarani embraced religion and organization that brought these soldiers of Jesus. The Jesuit missions grew and decided to found several more. Regrettably, Spain and Portugal were not well defined territories.
It's almost dark when we reached the small Brazilian town. We left our bags in the hotel room comfortable and friendly concierge, knowing my search, I recommended the sound and light show that occurs in the ruins. The moonless night promised.
The lights came on and appeared, at its best, a Romanesque cathedral in the middle of the Brazilian jungle. Bowled
We arrived at the huge park where the ruins are preserved. A sky full of stars invited us to admire. From the ruins not see a thing. Suddenly a sound, voice; the alleged voice of a Jesuit lamenting the lost: territory, lives and a dream of a better world. The lights came on and appeared, at its best, a Romanesque cathedral in the middle of the Brazilian jungle. Bowled.
The show continued with her story dramatizing voices that started almost at the same point where my wife had left in the car reading. The missionaries established where more and more people went to the Guarani as builders forming a striking European-Indian civilization admired God. All was bliss until Portugal found that several of these missions were located east of the Uruguay River, they considered border. They complained to the Pope. At the same time, Spain complained about the founding of the Portuguese against Colonia del Sacramento Buenos Aires. It was possible that the Pope failed in both against Spain, why Madrid decided to negotiate. These missions were nothing to Spain, After the Indians were a handful of nuts and missionaries. Neither cared much to be vast territories; Spain had more territory than it could explore in centuries. Instead, Cologne he was getting income by smuggling Portuguese. The decision was easy, would change the Jesuit missions east of the Uruguay River to the small town of Colonia del Sacramento, in the Rio de la Plata.
The next morning, returned to the ruins. This time, with the sun, could enjoy and photograph them and searching them traces of the past
The lights of the show became more melodramatic. The cathedral was stained red blood anticipating that he would.
The Jesuits appealed to the king, but in vain. The Guarani were strongest, refused to be relocated. Never be at the mercy of the bloodthirsty "Bandeirantes" Portuguese. Portugal demanded the surrender of the territory, and Spain was forced to send troops from Montevideo. They did the same road we had traveled by van. Sad effort the Spanish soldiers, whose victory was only to deliver his conquest to Portugal. The Guarani nothing could against the Spanish arms and killed or surrendered. Survivors, along with the Jesuits, made a sad exodus to cross the river back to the Kingdom Uruguay had never wanted.
He finished the show, the lights, ghosts disappeared and visitors stayed several minutes discussing the impressions we had left.
The next morning, After a sumptuous breakfast, returned to the ruins. This time, with the sun, could enjoy and photograph them and searching them traces of the past. Entering, Jesuit cross, enveloped us of that past mixed with the present.
Be felt somewhere in Europe, as construction details were identical to those which may be found in Soria or many other towns of Castile
Upon retiring missionaries vegetation Guarani and claimed that she had. The small museum at the entrance of the park showed engravings of nineteenth century travelers where the cathedral looked in better shape than now, but surrounded by trees and plants. His descriptions still exuded incredible admiration for what they found these fabulous ruins found in that place so remote. With my camera I entered the building. Be felt somewhere in Europe, as construction details were identical to those which may be found in Soria or many other towns of Castile. I was surprised to see that several of the stones, they had carved initials and numbers in a font old, served to identify which workers had carved each stone. In Europe the payment of workers depended on it, in the Jesuit missions who knows ...
In a corner hugging a tree with all his might a column.
In the mid-twentieth century Brazil decided to recover the remains and enable first for archaeologists and then for tourist visits.
We leave that part of the history of Argentina, Uruguayan, Brazilian, Paraguayan, also, Spanish and Portuguese. We march leaving behind the ghosts of the mission.
Coordinates: Years: S 28gr 32min 54seg, Long O 54Gr 33Min 21Seg
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