History:
Fr. Lasuén also founded this mission in 1791. The location proved to be unfortunate because the weather was harsh, it was too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter, and it was subject to floods. Still, the mission proved to be moderately successful due to hard work.
Patron Saint:
The name of this mission can be translated as “Our Lady of Solitude,” which would be the second mission named after the Virgin Mary (or third, depending if you count Mission Dolores), after La Purísima. In many ways, Soledad is the same characteristic that is expressed through Dolores (Sorrows), because the seven sorrows cause the solitude. According to the Catholic Church, those sorrows of Mary are as follows:
-The Prophecy of Simeon
-The Flight into Egypt
-Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple
-Meeting Jesus on the Way of the Cross
-The Crucifixion
-Taking His Body Down from the Cross
-The Burial
Distinctives:
-The first Spanish governor of California, José Joaquin de Arrillaga, is buried here, because he died while visiting this mission.
-There is an unmarked grave of a Native American woman here. She is the only non-European male buried in this, making her quite unique!
-Perhaps the tiniest chapel of all the missions. At the altar is, dressed in black (for sorrow) a mannequin of the Virgin Mary. It actually looks a bit creepy.
-The 14 Stations of the Cross in the chapel are original, and the crosses above each Station are made of willow which grows nearby in the river.
-There is an original mission bell in the museum.
My Opinion:
Not the most remote of missions (that distinction belongs to San Antonio) but certainly the most desolate. The grounds mostly lie in ruins, but actually the feeling of desolation and visible ruins add a bit of charm to the place. It seems like the mission least touched by civilization. There is still a lot of ongoing archaeological work progressing on the grounds. Initially I didn’t have a favorable impression of the place, but after a while I enjoyed it. I think it will be quite interesting once all the archaeological excavations have finished, to see what has been unearthed.
Ranking: #17 / 21