Mission San Juan Capistrano, named for St. John
of Capistrano, Italy, a theologian of the 14th century, is the seventh
mission founded November 1, 1776, the Feast of All Saints, by Fr.
Junipero Serra. Previously established by Fr. Fermin Lasuen on October
30, 1775, it was abandoned because of Indian unrest at Mission San
Diego. The Great Stone Church began construction in 1796; was completed
in 1806;and was destroyed by an earthquake 1812. The Mission was
secularized 1833, sold in 1845, and was returned to the Church in
1865.
Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded twice;
the first attempt was In October of 1775, when Father Lasuen left
San Diego with eleven soldiers to establish a mission roughly halfway
between Mission San Diego and Mission San Gabriel. On October 30,
1775, a large cross was set up and Fr. Lasuen took formal possession
of the land in the name of the crown and dedicated the ground. A
number of Indians watched and helped to haul timber for the building
of a temporary chapel and dwellings. The work went on for eight
days, but came to a halt when word reached the Spaniards that Mission
San Diego had suffered an Indian attack. The bells were hastily
buried and the small party hurried south to take shelter in the
Mission at San Diego.
After a year's delay, an expedition led by Father
Junipero Serra, arrived at the same site on October 31, 1776, with
two padres and an escort of soldiers. The following day, November
1, 1776, the mission was officially dedicated.
Once established, the mission prospered almost
from the start. Between the founding and 1797, a number of adobe
buildings were erected. In 1777, the first little church was built,
a modest structure that is still in use today. Considered the oldest
church in California, it is called "Serra Chapel" because it is
the only building still standing where Fr. Serra had celebrated
Mass.
