San Xavier del Bac Mission

Historic Spanish Catholic mission
- Located about 10 miles south of downtown Tucson via Interstate Highway I-19
National Historic Landmark
- Active Roman Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Tucson
- The original mission was founded in 1700 by Jesuit explorer Father Eusebio Kino
- Construction of the current church began in 1783 and was completed in 1797
- The Mission is also known as the "White Dove of the Desert"
The del Bac part of the name is Tohono O'odham, meaning "place where water appears"
- The mission is located on the Tohono O'odham Nation San Xavier Indian Reservation, in an area of natural springs and the Santa Cruz River
- San Xavier del Bac is both a pilgrimage church and a significant cultural site, hosting over 300,000 visitors annually
- The "Historic Preservation" US postage stamp series included the San Xavier mission