I have always been quite interested in the architecture of the missions, especially those of the Native American Missions (which our own Claudio Salvucci so admirably covers). Another area of interest are the Spanish Missions and recently I came across the following altar and reredos, situated in the chapel of El Rancho de las Golondrinas in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The face of the altar includes an image of the Lamb of God as well as Eucharistic motifs of grapes and wheat. The reredos includes various images, from Mary and Joseph, Our Lady of Guadalupe and various other saints and angels -- I won't dare suggest I know who they all represent.
Here is a better view of the entire chapel. Humble, yet noble.
Another view of the altar and reredos.
From my point of view, this not only shows the great merit and interest in the art of the missions, it also shows forth the great richness of the tradition as well as the fact that even with the simplest of means, something 'worthy of God' can be created.
In many ways, our time seems to be a time of excuses for what we deem 'no longer possible; or practical, yet many ways our forbears, who often found themselves in much humbler circumstances, managed to find a way to produce sacred art and architecture of lasting worth, worthy of the sacred liturgy.
