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First Catholic Mass in Texas celebrated
On this day in 1680, the first Catholic Mass on soil that eventually
became a part of Texas was celebrated at a site near that of present
Ysleta. The service took place at one of the three camps in the area
established by Spaniards and Indians fleeing New Mexico in the wake of
the Pueblo Revolt of August 1680. New Mexico governor Antonio de
Otermín, with the assistance of Fray Francisco de Ayeta, took charge of
the almost 2,000 refugees and decided not to attempt the reconquest of
New Mexico until receiving further aid from the viceroy. Otermín's
unsuccessful entrada in November 1681 convinced the Spanish that the
reconquest would take much longer than originally expected, and that
therefore the temporary settlements at the pass should be given a much
greater degree of permanence. At least five communities in the
area--Ysleta, El Paso del Norte, San Lorenzo, Senecú, and
Socorro--remained for the rest of the Spanish colonial period.
- Links to Related Handbook of Texas Online Articles
- OTERMIN, ANTONIO DE
- AYETA, FRANCISCO DE
- YSLETA, TX
- EL PASO DEL NORTE
- SOCORRO, TX
- SAN LORENZO, TX
- EL PASO, TX
- Other Texas Day by Day Articles for This Date
- UT president lambastes Board of Regents at faculty meeting (1944)
- Future publisher joins Galveston News as office boy (1874)
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