The majesty of the Church captured
in the simplicity of the California missions
and brought to you in this imposing book
On a dreary day in mid-December photographer Terry Ruscin sat
in a pew in the church at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia and
listened to Handel’s Messiah.
“The church’s pillars drew my eyes upward; huge stenciled
beams hugged the heights; and high-set windows revealed the
extraordinary thickness of the distempered walls. Like the
voices of the choir, the church’s interior seemed to soar
heavenward—the majesty of the music echoed in the
architecture. Evident was the energy of those who built the
mission nearly two-hundred years before—in the light of the
flickering candles, in the warm hues of the fading distemper
paintings, in the wooden seats worn smooth by generations of
worshipers....I felt impelled to learn more....At that moment, I
vowed to visit all twenty-one California missions, photograph
them, and pen my perceptions.”
The resulting book is an achievement that, although not written
from a Catholic viewpoint, lets Catholics into the world of each of
the 21 California missions by a man with a great appreciation for
the people who founded them, their art, history, and architecture.
We’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a perfect gift—or a major
addition to your home and library
Just look at the riches here...
142 full-color photographs—18 of them full page
150 black and white or duotone photos—24 full page
Illustrated tissue over leafs for each mission
Historical background for each mission
Before and after pictures show what the missions were like
originally and how they have been restored today
Visitor information for each mission in case you plan a visit
Map of California with the location of each mission
A full section of detailed captions and data on all of the
images within the book
Glossary of terms: What is a balustrade, a cuartel, a
narthex, and many more
Attractive illustrated endpapers with a sepia rendition of an
original document written by Junípero Serra
Index and bibliography
Huge 13 x 11 size
Printed throughout on thick, expensive glossy paper
Foreword by Msgr. Francis J. Weber of the San Fernando
Mission
