• Santa Cruz facade with Friar Junipero Serra Santa Cruz facade with Friar Junipero Serra
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The indigenous people of this area, the Chichimecas, were led by Conin in 1531 when the Spaniards arrived. The inevitable battle took place but it was interrupted by a dramatic vision of a huge cross in the sky, accompanied by St. James (Santiago), seen both by the natives and by the Spaniards. That ended the battle with the natives converting to Catholicism. Conin took the name Fernando de Tapia, and soon became Governor of Querétaro. The scene of the battle and the miracle was honored by the placement of a large stone cross – and further miracles were attributed to the cross. So the hill (called Sangremal Hill – “Bad Blood Hill” – became the site of a chapel, later a church, and finally the Templo and Convent of Santa Cruz (“Holy Cross”).

• Santa Cruz interior Santa Cruz interior
• Santa Cruz altar with famous cross Santa Cruz altar with famous cross
• 1683 Plaque on the Santa Cruz church wall 1683 Plaque on the Santa Cruz church wall
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Later, in 1683, the Convent of Santa Cruz was chosen by the Franciscans as the home of the first Catholic missionary training school (Colegio Apostolico de Propaganda Fide) in America (see photo of the plaque). Missionaries trained here to carry the faith throughout New Spain. Later still, when the great Aqueduct was built in the 1730s, it brought its water from the hills to Santa Cruz. In the “Water Courtyard” the flow was divided and distributed to the many fountains around the city for the use of the residents.

• Water courtyard Water courtyard
• Water courtyard Water courtyard
• Convent gardens Convent gardens
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Among the missionaries at Santa Cruz was Friar Antonio de Margil de Jesús (1657-1726), an indefatigable evangelist. Friar Antonio was famed for walking great distances day after day to make contact with parishioners – reputedly 30 miles a day. Impressed by this story, the contemporary American sculptor Sharon Kopriva created a sculpture of Friar Antonio, providing him with wheels to ease his travels. Friar Antonio's other claim to fame resulted in the garden of thorn trees in the convent: the thorns take the shape of the cross. The story goes that Friar Antonio stuck his walking stick in the ground and forgot about it, but when he came back it had sprouted and was growing cross-shaped thorns.

• Courtyard in convent with statue of Friar Antonio Courtyard in convent with statue of Friar Antonio
• Friar Antonio in a sculpture by Sharon Kopriva (Museo Ciudad) Friar Antonio in a sculpture by Sharon Kopriva (Museo Ciudad)
• Friar Antonio de Margil de Jesus in the Convent Friar Antonio de Margil de Jesus in the Convent
• The plants growing the thorn crosses The plants growing the thorn crosses
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Another famous missionary from Santa Cruz was Friar Junípero Serra. He built several impressive mission churches in the moutains (“Sierra Gorda”) in the north of Querétaro State. Then we went on to build even more missions in Southern California.

• Statue in front honoring indigenous music and devotion Statue in front honoring indigenous music and devotion
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Another sculpture was added in front of the Santa Cruz church in 1996, with the inscription: “He is God, in Homage and gratitude to our people, customs, traditions and devotions.”

The Convent of Santa Cruz is unusual among the historic structures in Querétaro: it is still a functioning and thriving convent. On the tour we took of the Convent, we visited a basketball court. On the wall was a sign reminding visitors that the court is for the exclusive use of the Friars.

• Current plaque reserving basketball court for the Friars Current plaque reserving basketball court for the Friars
• The basketball court reserved for the Friars The basketball court reserved for the Friars
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