Mission San Juan Capistrano facts for kids
 .jpg) .jpg) Mission San Juan Capistrano
|
|
 Location in California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 26801 Ortega Hwy. San Juan Capistrano, California 92675 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°30′10″N 117°39′46″W / 33.50278°N 117.66278°W |
| Name as founded | La Misión de San Juan Capistrano de Sajavit |
| English translation | The Mission of Saint John Capistrano of Sajavit |
| Patron | Saint John of Capestrano |
| Nickname(s) | "Jewel of the Missions" "Mission of the Swallow" "Mission of the Tragedies" |
| Founding date | November 1, 1776 it was the 7th mission. |
| Founding priest(s) | Fermín Lasuén (1st) Father Presidente Junípero Serra and Gregório Amúrrio (2nd) |
| Founding Order | Seventh |
| Military district | First |
| Native tribe(s) Spanish name(s) |
Acjachemen Juaneño |
| Native place name(s) | Quanís Savit, Sajavit |
| Baptisms | 4,340 |
| Confirmations | 1,182 |
| Marriages | 1,153 |
| Burials | 3,126 |
| Neophyte population | 900 |
| Secularized | 1833 |
| Returned to the Church | 1865 |
| Governing body | Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange |
| Current use | Chapel / Museum |
| Designated | September 3, 1971 |
| Reference no. | 71000170 |
| Reference no. | #200 |
| Website | |
| http://www.missionsjc.com | |
Mission San Juan Capistrano (Spanish: Misión San Juan Capistrano) is a historic Spanish mission located in San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California. It was founded on November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholic missionaries from the Franciscan Order. The mission was named after Saint John of Capistrano.
This mission was part of the Alta California province, which was then a part of New Spain. It was built very close to the native village of Acjacheme. In 1833, the Mexican government took control of the mission. Later, in 1865, the United States government returned it to the Roman Catholic Church. Over the years, the mission faced damage from natural disasters. However, restoration work began around 1910. Today, it serves as a museum.
Contents
Exploring Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded in 1776 by Spanish Catholic Franciscans. It was named after Saint John of Capistrano, a priest from the 14th century. This mission is special because it has the oldest building in California that is still used today. This building is a chapel built in 1782.
This chapel, known as "Father Serra's Church" or "Serra's Chapel," is the only place where Junipero Serra is known to have held Mass. Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the most famous missions in Alta California. It is also one of the few missions that was actually founded twice.
The mission site was first blessed on October 30, 1775, by Fermín Lasuén. But it was quickly left behind because of problems with the native people in San Diego.
Life at the Mission
Before the missionaries arrived, about 550 Acjachemen people lived in this area. By 1790, the number of native people living at the mission had grown to 700. These were called "neophytes," meaning new converts. Just six years later, nearly 1,000 "neophytes" lived in or near the mission. Between 1776 and 1847, a total of 4,639 people were baptized here.
More than 69 former residents, mostly Juaneño Indians, are buried in the Mission's cemetery. St. John O'Sullivan, a priest who worked hard to save and rebuild the mission, is also buried at the cemetery entrance. A statue honors him there. Three other priests, José Barona, Vicente Fustér, and Vicente Pascual Oliva, are buried under the floor of the chapel.
The "Mission grape" was first planted at San Juan Capistrano in 1779. In 1783, this mission produced the first wine in Alta California.
After the Mexican government took control in 1833, the mission slowly declined. Many attempts were made to restore it in the late 1800s. But real success came only after O'Sullivan arrived in 1910. Restoration work continues today. "Father Serra Church" is still used for religious services.
More than 500,000 people visit the Mission each year, including 80,000 school children. The ruins of "The Great Stone Church" are famous. This church was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1812. The Mission is also well-known for the annual "Return of the Swallows." This event is celebrated every March 19, on Saint Joseph's Day.
In 1984, a new church complex was built near the mission. It is now called Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano. Today, the mission grounds are a museum. Serra Chapel inside the mission still serves as a chapel for the local church.
Mission History
Native People of the Area
The Spanish settlement at Sajavit was built on land used by the Native American group known as the Juaneño. This name refers to the people who were served by the priests at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Many modern Juaneño people call themselves Acjachemen. Their language was similar to the Luiseño language spoken by a nearby tribe.
The Acjachemen lived in an area stretching from northern San Diego County to the San Joaquin Hills in Orange County. Their land went from the Pacific Ocean to the Santa Ana Mountains. Most of them lived near two large creeks, San Juan Creek and San Mateo Creek. The largest number of villages were along the lower San Juan Creek, where the mission is located today.
The Acjachemen lived in permanent villages and seasonal camps. Villages had between 35 and 300 people. Each group had its own land for resources. They connected with other villages through trade, religion, and social ties. Their society had three classes: an elite class, a middle class, and a lower class. The village chief, called the Nota, led community events. He worked with a council of elders to make decisions for the community.
Much has been learned about the native people. The Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo wrote about the coastal villages he saw in 1542. Fray Gerónimo Boscana, a Franciscan priest at San Juan Capistrano, wrote a detailed study of their religious practices. The main religion, called Chinigchinich, gave village chiefs religious power.
Early Mission Years (1776–1833)
Juan Crespí, part of the 1769 Spanish Portolà expedition, wrote the first European account of the native people in Orange County. The expedition camped near the future mission site on July 23.
In 1775, Viceroy Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa allowed a mission to be built halfway between Mission San Diego de Alcalá and Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. This site was already known as "San Juan Capistrano."
Up from the south slow filed a train,
Priests and Soldiers of Old Spain,
Who, through sunlit lomas wound
With cross and lance, intent to found
A mission in the wild to John
Soldier-Saint of Capistrano.
At the chosen spot, about 26 Spanish Leagues north of San Diego, a simple shelter was built. Two bronze bells were hung from a tree branch, and a wooden cross was put up. Fermín Lasuén blessed the area on October 30, 1775, near a native village called "Sajavit." This is how La Misión de San Juan Capistrano de Sajavit was founded.
Priest Gregório Amúrrio arrived eight days later with supplies. However, news came that natives had attacked the San Diego mission and killed a missionary. Fearing more attacks, the priests quickly buried the San Juan Capistrano Mission bells. The soldiers and priests left for the safety of the San Diego Presidio.
This map shows the areas of Southern California Indian tribes, including the Juaneño (highlighted).
|
One year later, Junípero Serra returned with Amúrrio and Pablo de Mugártegui. They arrived on October 30 or 31, 1776. They dug up the bells and built a new shelter. The original wooden cross was still standing. Serra held a special Mass on November 1, 1776, which is now the official founding date.
Because there wasn't enough water, the mission moved about three miles west. The new spot was near two streams, the Trabuco and the San Juan. Mission San Gabriel helped by providing cattle and native workers. Amúrrio performed the mission's first baptism on December 19, 1776. The first native marriage was held on January 23, 1777.
In 1778, the first adobe chapel was blessed. It was replaced in 1782 by a larger church, 115-foot (35 m) long. This is considered the oldest standing building in California. It is proudly known as the "Serra Chapel." It is also the only remaining church where Serra is known to have led services. Today, religious services are still held there. By the time the chapel was finished, other buildings like living quarters, kitchens, workshops, and soldier barracks were also built. These formed the main quadrangle.
California's first vineyard was at the Mission. The "Mission" or "Criollo" grape was planted in 1779. In 1783, the first winery in Alta California was built here. It produced red and white wines, brandy, and a sweet wine called Angelica. In 1791, the mission's two original bells were moved from the tree branch to a permanent stand.
The mission grew over the next two decades. By 1794, more than seventy adobe buildings were built to house the native people. This area is now one of California's oldest neighborhoods. The priests decided they needed a bigger, European-style church. They hired a master stonemason, Isídro Aguilár, from Culiacán. He designed the church with unique features, like a domed stone roof instead of a flat wooden one. His design included six vaulted domes.
The Great Stone Church
Work began on "The Great Stone Church" on February 2, 1797. This was the only mission chapel in Alta California not made of adobe. It was shaped like a cross, 180 feet (55 m) long and 40 feet (12 m) wide, with 50-foot (15 m) high walls. It also had a 120-foot (37 m) tall bell tower next to the main entrance. People say the tower could be seen for ten miles (16 km) or more. The bells could be heard even farther away.
The building sat on a seven-foot-thick foundation. All the native workers helped with construction. Stones were brought from up to six miles (9.7 km) away. They were carried by oxen, by hand, or dragged to the site. Limestone was crushed to make a strong mortar.
On November 22, 1800, an earthquake cracked the church walls, requiring repairs. Sadly, the master stonemason, Señor Aguilár, died six years into the project. The priests and workers continued his work, but without his skill, the walls became uneven. A seventh roof dome had to be added. The church was finally finished in 1806. It was blessed on September 7, followed by a two-day celebration. The floors were paved with diamond-shaped tiles. Statues of saints were placed in brick-lined niches. It was considered the most beautiful church in California.
On December 8, 1812, a series of strong earthquakes hit Southern California during Sunday service. The doors of the church were jammed shut. When the shaking stopped, most of the church's main area had fallen. The bell tower was destroyed. Forty native worshipers and two boys ringing the bells died. They were buried in the mission cemetery. This was a major disaster for the mission.
The priests immediately started holding services in Serra's Church again. A year later, a brick bell wall was built to hold the four bells saved from the fallen tower. The back part of the stone church remained standing. An attempt to rebuild it in 1815 failed due to a lack of building skills. After this, all new construction at the mission was for practical use. In 1814, a small hospital was built for the sick. Here, Juaneño medicine men used traditional healing methods.
Pirates Attack the Mission
On December 14, 1818, the French privateer Hippolyte Bouchard sailed his ships near the Mission. Bouchard was known for raiding other settlements. The mission commander, Ruíz, sent 30 men to protect the mission. Bouchard's men demanded supplies, but the mission guards refused. Bouchard then ordered an attack.
About 140 of Bouchard's men, with cannons, attacked the mission. The guards fought back but were outnumbered. The attackers stole supplies from the mission warehouses. They caused minor damage to some buildings and reportedly set fire to some straw houses. Reinforcements arrived the next day, but the ships had already left.
Even though the mission was saved, all ammunition, supplies, and valuables in the area were taken. This event is now a colorful part of the mission's history. An annual celebration is held to remember "The Day that Pirates Sacked the Mission."
Mexican Independence and Decline
Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821. The 1820s and 1830s saw the mission's status slowly decline. Diseases reduced the cattle herds. A sudden growth of mustard weed made farming difficult. Floods and droughts also caused problems.
The biggest threat came from Spanish settlers who wanted the mission's fertile lands. Over time, the native population left the mission. Without regular care, the buildings fell apart faster. Still, there was enough activity along El Camino Real to build the Las Flores Asistencia in 1823. This was a resting place for traveling priests. Around 1820, a cattle ranch was set up north of the mission. The building for the ranch manager and cowboys is now known as the Diego Sepúlveda Adobe.
In 1826, José María de Echeandía, the first Mexican governor of Alta California, issued a "Proclamation of Emancipation." This freed some native people from mission rule. They could become Mexican citizens. Governor Echeandía wanted to try this plan at Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Even before Mexico's independence, the mission was declining. In 1833, the Mexican Congress passed a law to secularize the missions. This meant selling mission property to private owners. Mission San Juan Capistrano was the first to be affected. On August 9, 1834, Governor José Figueroa ordered its confiscation.
Rancho Period (1834–1849)
On November 22, 1834, the mission's property was officially taken over. An inventory was made, listing the value of buildings, chapel, tools, ranchos, and library. The total value was $54,456. The mission had many animals and crops, including 8,000 cattle and 50 barrels of wine.
After this, the Franciscans mostly left the mission. Locals took building materials from the mission. By 1835, little of the mission's wealth remained. The mission was declared "in a ruinous state" in 1841. San Juan Capistrano became a secular Mexican town. The few people still living there were given land. The area around the mission quickly decayed.
Four years later, the mission property was sold for a very low price to Englishman John (Don Juan) Forster and his partner. Forster's family lived in the friars' quarters for the next twenty years. Other families also moved into parts of the mission buildings. The last resident missionary died in 1848.
California Statehood (1850–1900)
In the 1850s, artists began to draw and photograph the mission ruins. The oldest surviving sketch from 1850 shows that parts of the stone church's domes and main dome survived the 1812 earthquake. The first known photograph of San Juan Capistrano was taken in 1860. The ruins were seen as romantic and compared to ancient sites in Greece and Rome.
Also in 1860, an attempt to restore the stone church failed. It caused more damage, making the domes collapse.
A smallpox epidemic in 1862 almost wiped out the remaining Juaneño Indians. On March 18, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed a paper returning ownership of the mission to the Roman Catholic Church. This document is still on display. The Church received about 44.40 acres (179,700 m2) of land, which was the original mission area.
From 1866 to 1886, the mission's only resident was its pastor, José Mut. He made some changes but did little to stop the buildings from falling apart. By 1873, about forty Juaneño were still connected to the mission. Many native villages still existed in the valleys.
In the 1880s, articles and books about the missions appeared. Many artists painted the missions. By 1891, the roof of Serra Chapel collapsed, and it had to be abandoned. The original adobe church was changed to be used as a parish church. In 1894, a new train station was built nearby, possibly using stones and tiles from the mission.
The next year, a group called the "Landmarks Club of Southern California" began serious efforts to preserve the mission. They cleared away over 400 tons of debris, patched walls, and put new roofs on some buildings. They also repaved walkways.
Modern Era (Since 1901)
After 1886, the mission had no permanent pastor for a while. St. John O'Sullivan arrived in San Juan Capistrano in 1910 to recover from illness. He became fascinated by the mission and started rebuilding it. His first task was to repair the roof of the Serra Chapel. He used sycamore logs, matching the original ones. Other repairs were made as money allowed.
An architect, Arthur B. Benton, strengthened the chapel walls. The most impressive part of the chapel is its altar backdrop, called a retablo. This beautiful piece of Baroque art was hand-carved in Barcelona from 396 pieces of cherry wood and covered in gold leaf. It is estimated to be 400 years old. It was brought from Barcelona in 1806 for a Los Angeles cathedral but was never used there. It was later donated and installed in the chapel between 1922 and 1924.
Many Hollywood movies used San Juan Capistrano as a setting. The first was D.W. Griffith's 1910 film The Two Brothers. On January 7, 1911, silent film star Mary Pickford secretly married actor Owen Moore in the Mission chapel. Artist Charles Percy Austin painted a picture of Pickford's wedding.
Severe flooding damaged part of the mission in 1915. Heavy storms a year later washed away part of the barracks building. O'Sullivan rebuilt it in 1917. In 1916, a ten-cent admission fee was charged to help pay for preservation. In 1918, the mission became a parish, with O'Sullivan as its first modern pastor. The 1918 San Jacinto Earthquake caused some damage. In 1919, author Johnston McCulley created the character "Zorro" and set his first story, The Curse of Capistrano, at the mission.
In 1920, the "Sacred Garden" was created in the courtyard. In 1925, the full restoration of the Serra Chapel was finished. O'Sullivan died in 1933 and was buried in the mission cemetery. His tomb is at the foot of a Celtic cross he put up to honor the mission's builders.
After O'Sullivan, Arthur J. Hutchinson continued the preservation work. He made important archaeological discoveries. His work was continued by later pastors. In 1937, the U.S. National Park Service surveyed and photographed the mission. This helped with future excavations.
In 2002, the World Monuments Fund listed "The Great Stone Church" as one of the "100 Most Endangered Sites." The most recent earthquake safety upgrades were finished in 2004, costing $7.5 million. About half a million visitors come to the Mission each year.
Many events are held at the mission today. The "Battle of the Mariachis" is a main fundraising event. It has been held since 2004 to honor the mission's heritage.
Mission Industries
The main goal of the missions was to become self-sufficient. Farming was the most important industry. Barley, maize (corn), and wheat were the main crops. Hundreds of cattle, horses, mules, sheep, and goats were raised. In 1790, the mission had 7,000 sheep and goats, 2,500 cattle, and 200 mules and horses.
Olives were grown and pressed to make oil for the mission and for trade. Grapes were grown and made into wine for religious use and for trading. The "Mission grape" was first planted in 1779. In 1783, this mission produced the first wine in Alta California.
Grains were dried and ground into flour. The mission's kitchens and bakeries prepared thousands of meals daily. Candles, soap, and ointments were made from tallow (animal fat). Vats were used for dyeing wool and tanning leather. Primitive looms were used for weavings. Large warehouses stored food and materials.
Three long aqueducts (zanjas) brought water to the central courtyard. The water went into large cisterns in the industrial area. It was filtered for drinking and cooking or used for cleaning. The mission also made all its own building materials. Workers in the carpentry shop shaped wood for buildings and furniture. Bricks and roof tiles were fired in kilns to make them stronger. Glazed ceramic pots and dishes were also made in the kilns.
Before the missions, native people used bone, seashells, stone, and wood for tools and building. The missionaries taught them new skills like farming, mechanical arts, and raising livestock. The native people produced everything they needed at the missions. After 1811, they also supported the government of California. The foundry at Mission San Juan Capistrano introduced the native people to working with iron. The blacksmith used the mission's Catalan furnaces (California's first) to make iron tools, hardware, and even cannon for defense.
Mission Bells
Bells were very important for daily life at the mission. They were rung for mealtimes, work, and religious services. They also signaled births, funerals, or the arrival of ships. Newcomers were taught the special ways to ring the bells. The first bells hung from a tree for about fifteen years until the chapel bell tower was finished in 1791. What happened to these original bells is not known.
New bells were made in Chile for "The Great Stone Church." All four of Mission San Juan Capistrano's bells have names and inscriptions (translated from Latin):
- "Praised by Jesus, San Vicente. In honor of the Reverend Fathers, Ministers (of the Mission) Fray Vicente Fustér, and Fray Juan Santiago, 1796."
- "Hail Mary most pure. Ruelas made me, and I am called San Juan, 1796."
- "Hail Mary most pure, San Antonio, 1804."
- "Hail Mary most pure, San Rafael, 1804."
After the 1812 earthquake, the two largest bells cracked. They no longer made clear sounds. Still, they were hung in the new bell wall built the next year. During the mission's busiest time, a single bell also hung at the west end of the front corridor.
One of O'Sullivan's helpers was José de Gracia Cruz, also known as Acú. He was a descendant of the Juaneño Indians and served as the mission's bell ringer until he died in 1924. He shared many stories and legends about the mission.
On March 22, 1969, President Richard M. Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon visited the Mission and rang the Bell of San Rafael. A bronze plaque on the bell wall remembers this event. In 2000, the new Mission church became a minor basilica. Exact copies of the damaged bells were made in the Netherlands. These new bells were placed in the bell wall. The old, damaged bells are now on display where the original bell tower once stood.
Mission Folklore
Legends
The sad story of "The Great Stone Church" led to a popular legend. It tells of a young native girl named Magdalena who died when the church collapsed. Magdalena lived at the Mission and was in love with an artist named Teófilo. Their elders thought they were too young to marry, so they met in secret. On the morning of the earthquake, Magdalena was walking into the church with a candle. Teófilo rushed in to save her, but the walls and roof fell. When the rubble was cleared, they were found among the dead, holding each other. People say that on moonlit nights, you can sometimes see a young girl's face in the ruins, lit by candlelight.
Other legends include a faceless monk who haunted the mission corridors. There is also a headless soldier who guarded the front entrance.
Return of the Swallows
The American cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) is a bird that flies a long way. It spends winters in Goya, Argentina, then travels 6,000-mile (10,000 km) north to the warmer American Southwest in spring. Legend says these birds, who have visited San Juan Capistrano for centuries, first came to the Mission for safety. An angry innkeeper was destroying their mud nests.
The Mission's location near two rivers was perfect for the swallows. There was plenty of food (insects), and the young birds were safe inside the old church ruins.
A 1915 magazine article noted the birds' habit of nesting under the mission's eaves and arches. This made the swallows a symbol of the Mission. O'Sullivan used this interest to help raise money for restoration. Bell ringer Acú had a colorful story that the swallows flew over the Atlantic Ocean to Jerusalem each winter. They carried small twigs to rest on the water.
On March 13, 1939, a radio show announced the swallows' arrival live from the Mission. Composer Leon René was so inspired that he wrote the song "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano". This song became very popular. A special room at the Mission honors René. It displays the piano he used to compose the song and other items.
Each year, the Fiesta de las Golondrinas (Festival of the Swallows) is held in San Juan Capistrano. It is a week-long celebration ending with the Swallows Day Parade. Tradition says the main flock arrives on March 19 (Saint Joseph's Day). They fly south on Saint John's Day, October 23.
When the swallows come back to Capistrano
That's the day you promised to come back to me
When you whispered, "Farewell," in Capistrano
'twas the day the swallows flew out to sea
In recent years, fewer swallows have returned to the Mission. This is linked to more buildings being built in the area. There are now more places for them to nest and fewer insects to eat.
California Pepper Tree
The largest California pepper tree (Schinus molle) in the United States used to be at Mission San Juan Capistrano. It was cut down in 2005 due to disease. This 57-foot (17 m) tall tree was planted in the 1870s. It was a common sight in early California. The oldest pepper tree in California is now at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia.
Images for kids
-
The "Golden Altar" in "Father Serra's Church."
-
St. John O'Sullivan in Mission San Juan Capistrano's "Sacred Garden."
-
Mary Pickford's Wedding by Charles Percy Austin.
-
Statue of Junípero Serra at the Mission.
-
1854 survey of Mission San Juan Capistrano.
-
The "Alemany Plat" map showing the land returned to the Catholic Church in 1865.
-
Father Serra Church at the mission (2019).
-
Entrance to Father Serra's Church.
-
Left wall detail of Father Serra's Church.
-
A postcard of San Juan Capistrano's former California pepper tree.
-
An 1894 painting by Frederick Behre. The landscape was later changed by John Gutzon Borglum.
-
A view of the "Mission of the Swallow" around 1910, when St. John O'Sullivan arrived.
-
Clerical historian Zephyrin Engelhardt visited Mission San Juan Capistrano many times.
-
This 1921 view shows the restoration work already underway at the Mission.
-
A Moorish-style fountain in the Mission's central courtyard, built in the 1920s.
-
A map of Mission San Juan Capistrano from 1937.
Other Historic Recognitions
- California Historical Landmark #227 – Diego Sepúlveda Adobe Estancia
- ASM International Historical Landmark (1988) – "Metalworking Furnaces"
- World Monuments Fund List of 100 Most Endangered Sites (2002); "The Great Stone Church"
- Orange County Historic Civil Engineering Landmark (1992)
See also
In Spanish: Misión San Juan Capistrano para niños
- Spanish missions in California
- List of Spanish missions in California
- Diego Sepúlveda Adobe (the Costa Mesa Estancia or the Santa Ana Estancia)
- Las Flores Estancia
- San Juan Hot Springs
- Putiidhem
- USNS Mission Capistrano (T-AO-112) – a Mission Buenaventura–class fleet oiler built during World War II
- Oldest churches in the United States
- List of the oldest buildings in the United States
