Jesuit Missions of South America Tour

The priests of the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as Jesuits, developed the series of missions in what is now Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay as a social and economic extension of the mission to bring the Roman Catholic religion to the indigenous populations, mainly the Guaraní tribes, via spiritual instruction, education, commercial endeavors and trade. These settlements were called a reducción in Spanish, or redução in Portuguese, and were intended to create tribute for the Spanish crown as payment for leaving the territories in Jesuit control.

Their success led to the creation of cities, commerce, art and literacy and laid the foundation for their expulsion from the Americas. Today these missions are maintained and preserved as historical monuments and are worthwhile stops on a visit to South America.