Constructed in 1755 as part of Franciscan missionary efforts to convert the local Indigenous population, the church combines Roman Catholic and Spanish Colonial architecture with Indigenous building traditions. The surviving original domed roof and remnants of polychrome painted decoration make Mission Concepción the most intact building of all four churches in the historic ensemble, which represents the largest concentration of Spanish Colonial architecture in North America.

Today, Mission Concepción balances an active parish life with the needs of over 2 million tourists who visit the site annually as a result of its UNESCO designation and inclusion in the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Many church members are descendants of the white, Latinx, and Native American people who founded the early church. The congregation currently supports several food drives, assists with refugee settlement, and gives monthly subsidies to two local sister parishes.

A National Fund grant of $250,000 with over $500,000 in matching funds raised by the congregation and affiliated nonprofit Old Spanish Missions supported the structural stabilization of the original Colonial-era masonry dome, which had expanded and cracked over time. Additional work included mitigating moisture infiltration at the roof through site drainage improvements, masonry repointing, and roof repairs. Mission Concepción’s participation in the National Fund program allowed the congregation to identify additional building needs and increase its fundraising capacity, facilitating the completion of other critical projects at this iconic church.

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción by the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción by El Camino San Antonio Missions/Rebecca Simmons