Editor's Picks

Mission: Possible

About nine miles south of Tucson on the Tohono O’odham reservation sits the striking Franciscan mission San Xavier del Bac. The “White Dove of the Desert,” so nicknamed for its brilliant white domes, was built between 1783 and 1797 by Spanish Franciscans and still holds Catholic services regularly, though many guests visit simply to enjoy the structure’s beauty. The Spanish Mission architecture, seemingly a merger of Moorish, Byzantine and Spanish Renaissance styles, strikes a remarkable contrast with the surrounding desert. Intricate paintings, murals, carvings and sculptures adorn the interior. After...