Miracle at the Mission: The mystery of San Gabriel's 'La Dolorosa'

Vol. 5, No. 26

October 16, 2020

When a centuries-old mysterious painting of “La Dolorosa” was pulled out of the rubble of the fire-wrecked Mission San Gabriel, workers were surprised. But was its discovery miraculous? On Page 10, historian Gregory Orfalea explains the image’s forgotten role in the evangelization of California, and details the race against time underway to prepare the mission for its 250th birthday celebration.