For the people who lived at Pensacola’s first permanent Spanish colonial settlement, isolated on the frontier, religion provided them with the means to cope with harsh conditions.

Like Santa Maria de Galve, each settlement had churches and cemeteries, and priests, who sanctified and kept records of births, deaths, baptisms, and marriages.

At this settlement, prisoner and governor alike, were catholic and went to the same church. But, churches were special and they were built with the very best materials available. At presidio Santa Maria that included the community’s only stained glass windows and brick floor.

University of West Florida archaeologists also found many catholic artifacts. Rosary beads were found all over this settlement, while the most beautiful were on the church floor. We also found catholic medallions, one of which was buried with one of the settlers.

Written, narrated, and produced by the University of West Florida, the Florida Public Archaeology Network and WUWF Public Media.