Gaze upon this seemingly simple bell tower. It memorializes a somber piece of Texas history. We are standing before El Carmen Church. It is commonly called El Carmen. El Carmen’s story is deeply intertwined with Texas’ struggle for independence.
El Carmen Church marks 200 years since the Battle of Medina. The battle occurred on August 18, 1813. Spanish royalist soldiers were laid to rest here after the battle. The Spanish credited Nuestra Senora del Carmen for their victory. They ordered a chapel constructed over the crypt in 1817. Eventually, the chapel became El Carmen Church.
The Battle of Medina was a devastating defeat. It was in the struggle for Texas independence from Spanish rule. The effects of the battle carried into the rebellion against Mexico. The battle extended over a large area below the Medina River. The fighting lasted around four hours. The rebel Republican Army of the North suffered about 1,200 deaths. Spanish losses ranged from 55 to 150.
General Arredondo refused proper burial for the rebel dead. Their remains scattered across the battlefield for years. In 1822, José Feliz Trespalacios ordered the bones collected. He was the first governor of Texas as part of Mexico. They were interred beneath an oak tree. A cross was carved into the tree. An inscribed tablet marked the mass gravesite. The tablet later vanished and the site’s location was lost.
A community grew around the Chapel of El Carmen. Father Jean-Marie Odin encouraged it. He was the Vice Prefect Apostolic of Texas. He later became the first bishop of Texas. Carmen Garza and August Pelleton donated land. It contained a chapel believed to be the El Carmen Chapel. They also donated several adjacent acres.
Catholics in the area collected funds to construct a larger wooden chapel in 1854. They recorded individual donations. Donations ranged from fifty cents to 31 dollars. It was referred to as the Chapel of Medina. Father Claude Dubuis blessed it in 1855. He was later the second bishop of Texas.
Bishop Anthony Pellicer oversaw the purchase of land surrounding El Carmen. He wanted to spur the growth of a Catholic community. Streets were named for saints. The original wood frame church was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt. It suffered fire damage again decades later. The present brick church replaced it in 1967. It was built next to the original site. Remarkably, it was nearly destroyed by fire in 1991.
The iconic stone bell tower survived. It was added to the original church as a front entrance. It became a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe. El Carmen was a mission of other churches. These included St Joseph in Las Gallinas and San Fernando Cathedral. It also partnered with missions San Francisco de la Espada and San Juan.
Pastoral care fell to Jesuits and Claretians. Priests from St John’s Seminary and Vincentians also served. The Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul arrived in 1958. They did catechetical work. They later started a medical clinic on the premises. Some of these priests and sisters are buried in the parish cemetery.
Enrique Esparza is also said to be buried here. As a child, he witnessed the death of his father. His father was Gregorio Esparza in the Battle of the Alamo. A state historical marker commemorates his 1917 burial at El Carmen Cemetery. The bodies of the royalist soldiers were moved elsewhere. The details are undocumented. The old tower remains a memorial to the original burial. It honors all who lost their lives in the Battle of Medina.
Today, the grounds of Our Lady of Mount Carmel are a peaceful refuge. They are far from the hustle of San Antonio. The parish encompasses 50 acres. In 2010, 25 acres were purchased. The hope was to build a larger church. Behind the present El Carmen Church, land stretches beyond the cemetery. It is a natural state.
Crossing St George Bridge leads to Our Lady of Mt Carmel Prayer Park. It is the setting for re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross. Three crosses stand on a hill. There is an impressive stone burial tomb. A Garden of Gethsemane completes the setting. It resembles the battlefield on which the rebel army and Spanish soldiers fought.
El Carmen has preserved history. It will reach a wider audience. It will establish recognition of its role in the history of San Antonio and Texas.