1 - The Apalachee are the only native group in Florida who are known to have solicited friars. It was never their intention to have a Spanish garrison and settlers inhabit Apalachee Province. Following the revolt of 1647, the Apalachee consented to the presence of soldiers and a labor tribute, although they pressed repeatedly to end the labor details and, to some degree, remove the settlers and soldiers.

2 - The church complex consisted of three known structures; the church, convento, and cocina. One document indicates that orders were issued to build a stockade around the convent and church, and then extend it from the religious complex to the fort. It is unclear whether this defensive barrier was ever constructed. It is also possible that the religious complex included a elevated storage structure or corn crib (garita).

3 - Although the church was supposedly burned in January, 1704, while James Moore was here, there is no archaeological evidence that the church at San Luis was rebuilt or refurbished. The church had plank walls and a thatch roof with interior partitions that were constructed of wattle and daub. The roof of the reconstructed church at San Luis is thatched with some 42,000 palm fronds!

4 - The nave of the church was divided into three bays and was separated from the sanctuary by a wooden railing. Within the sanctuary was an altar, sacristy, and counter sacristy. More than 5,000 olive jar fragments were found in the sanctuary and are thought to be the remains of vessels used to hold water and wine used at Mass.

5 - In addition to housing the congregation, the floor of the nave served as the mission cemetery. It is believed that between 700 and 900 individuals are buried beneath the floor of the church.

6 - Based on lists of church furnishings removed or destroyed when San Luis was abandoned at the end of July, 1704, we believe that the interior of the church was decorated with paintings and statues, and contained all of the furnishings needed to conduct Mass. It probably also had a choir loft, confessional, pulpit, and baptismal font. There were no pews or benches in seventeenth century mission churches in Spanish Florida.

7 - The convento (friary) was located to the north of the church. It was home to the friars, and probably served as a lodge for visiting religious. Large quantities of beans and maize were recovered from the floor of the convento suggesting that foodstuffs were stored in the building.

8 - Relatively few European materials were found in the convento. Unlike Spaniards living in the Hispanic village, friars living at San Luis used few imported materials and relied primarily on Indian goods. 9 - Some of our most illuminating glimpes of mission life come from documents written by friars and bishops. If you are not familiar with the works of Fray Paiva, Fray Pareja, and Bishop Calderón, please ask to borrow copies from the lending library.

10 - For a list of feast days that were to be celebrated by Spaniards and Indians alike throughout La Florida, please consult "Synod of the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba, Jamaica, Habana and Florida," written by Bishop Juan Garcia de Palacios in 1682. In addition to the feast days listed in this document, August 25, which was the feast day of St. Louis (or San Luis), became the principal festival of the Apalachee.

ission San Luis is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday 10-4. Admission is free. For special tour arrangements or information on living history and educational programming, please call (850) 487-3711. Archaeological and historical research staff may be reached at (850) 487-3655.