The name Cusarare means "Place of the Eagles" in the Tarahumara language.  In this lovely little church that was built about 1733, twelve large paintings of the life of Mary were discovered.  They were removed by Father Luis Verplancken, S.J. when the church was undergoing major repairs in 1967 due to the collapsed bell tower that nearly destroyed the church.  The paintings had deteriorated beyond recognition, and it was Father's idea to clean them up and return them when construction was complete.  Little did he know at that time how "priceless" the collection was.  Now, over 30 years later, they were completely restored by professional European restorers and have been returned to their owners, the Tarahumara Indians of northwestern Mexico.  A new museum has been constructed to house the paintings, and is  located next to the church.

Cusarare Mission Church

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