Statute Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino in Tucson, Arizona,
Photo credit: Chuck Nugent
It is approaching Christmas, so watchers of the statue of Padre Kino on Kino Boulevard in Tucson will be looking for the red earmuffs. These have been appearing on the horse’s ears as a kindly seasonal gesture against the desert night’s cold. Further along the left side of the horse, resting on Kino’s saddlebag, you will notice a round instrument with what looks like a cross spanning its diameter. This is an astrolabe, or an earlier version of a sextant, and it was used for measuring the positions of celestial objects.
This article appeared in December 2010 edition of New Vision for the Diocese of Tucson. (http://www.newvisiononline.org/december10/padrekino.php)
Archive of the New Vision is only available for six months backward and this article is not reachable via the New Vision at this moment.
