History:
The third of the “Summer of ’97” missions (1797, that is!), San Miguel was established by Fr. Lasuén as a halfway point between San Antonio and San Luis Obispo (in order to have all the missions be one day apart by foot). This mission has probably had the worst luck in terms of disasters. A fire ravaged it in 1806; when the mission was secularized the Indians ran away and the place fell into complete disrepair; and a major earthquake rocked this place in 2003.
Patron Saint:
Along with Raphael and Gabriel, Michael was one of the three Biblical archangels. St. Michael is known for being the Commander of God’s army, so he is often shown in paintings and sculpture as conquering Satan (as described in the Book of Revelation where Satan is cast down into Hell). He is the patron saint of warriors. His name means “Who is like God?”
Distinctives:
-Sadly damaged by a major earthquake in December 2003, this mission’s chapel has been closed ever since. The State won’t let it be reopened until they raise enough money for a $15m retrofitting. They hope to reopen it again in December 2010, but again it depends on funding! According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, this mission is “one of the 11 most endangered sites in the nation.” So—donate here.
-There is a small temporary parish chapel on the left side of the mission, but it is a poor substitute for seeing the real thing.
-Even the gardens, while lovely from a distance, are closed off to the general public (not because of damage, but you are just restricted from going into them).
-The best thing about this mission is the brick bell tower/archway which stands a ways to the left of the mission. It’s probably the best bell tower of all the missions (housing five bells in total), but it stands all by its lonesome, recalling the Percy Bysshe Shelley poem “Ozymandias.” (you can see what this bell tower looks like in the photo accompanying my first Feature Essay on the missions entitled “Mission Possible”)
My Opinion:
Because of the chapel which was indefinitely closed for repairs, this was the only chapel that I didn’t get to see, making it hard to judge how much I liked it. The entire chapel exterior was covered in scaffolding. However, I did get to see the front of the mission and it has a charming archway entrance with some interesting artifacts in the front yard. The museum has some decent exhibits but is also in bad need of repair. Or to put a positive spin on it, it is one of the most untouched since the original mission days! I feel like this mission is a “diamond in the rough.” I bet once it gets some money and is restored, it will be among the most beautiful of the missions. Wipe off some of that grime, give it some good paint, fix it up, and it will be stunning. But until that happens, it is limited what you can do/see there.
Ranking: #19 / 21