ILLUMINAITON:  An unusual solar event takes place at this 
mission chapel… we’ll explain on Passport to Texas…

This is Passport to Texas

[Chanting] X [Chirping birds] roll under entire show

Mission Espirtu Santo de Zuniga, part of Goliad SP & HS, 
was established in 1749 by Franciscan priests. Next week 
the TPW TV Series on PBS takes you there to experience 
an annual event called “The Illumination”. Assistant 
Superintendent Jason Ramirez.

47— In a lot of the Franciscan missions there is a documented 
event that will usually coincide with a solar event; a lot of the 
times it’s one of the holy days of the Catholics. In our mission 
we have something that happens every year on April 16th; we 
don’t really have an official explanation for it, but basically 
what happens is the sun will set in the ‘window of the sun’ as 
we call it, and cast a direct beam of light onto the Crucifix 
here. It happens every year on April 16th at around 7:00pm. 
One of the things we do know is that April 16th is an 
important holy day for Franciscans. It’s the anniversary of the 
founding of the Franciscan Order, and so it’s a very important 
day for the Franciscans. It’s a day that they renew their vows 
and rededicate themselves to the faith. And so we think that 
this may have been something that the missionaries here 
planned to convert the native people here, also to celebrate 
their faith.

Witness “The Illumination” next week on the TPW TV 
series on PBS. Check your local listings.