The Interior of La Purisima Church

Over a thousand people could worship at the new church. The people sat on mats on the floor. Men sat on one side; women on the other. A few benches lined the walls for old or sick people.

Beauty and artwork were important in the worship of the Church, and many paintings adorn the walls, including the 14 stations of the cross. The walls were painted by the Chumash to resemble marble. The three statues are Mary (La Purisima), St. Joseph (San Jose), and St. Anthony (San Antonio).

The loft at the rear of the Church is where the Chumash musicians played, while the choir stood on narrow tiles at the back of the Church.

Conversion of the Chumash, or as the Padres called them, "the neophytes" was of paramount importance. Concluding statistics for the mission years, Fr. Juan Moreno wrote:

       "To date, December 31, 1834:   Baptisms (since the founding)..............3,314" (p. 58)