Mission San Juan Capistrano

The church today is the original church which was built in 1776. When the huge three aisle church was built 20 years later, this church was abandoned and used as a hay storage area. When the 1812 earthquake destroyed that church this, more modest church was re-occupied and has been the church ever since. St. John of Capistrano, holding a Crusaders banner occupies the central place of honor above the altar. John was a famous military commander, but he was never a Crusader.

 

Capistrano's famous swallows, for centuries found these niches attractive as nesting sites. Of late they seem to prefer freeway overpasses.

San Juan Capistrano

 San Juan Capistrano is the Mission perhaps as famous for it's ruins as it is for the beautiful church which was originally built there. The ruins are all that remains of what was once the largest of all of the California Missions. An earthquake in 1812, in the middle of Mass collapsed the dome and killed 40 of the faithful. Rather than try to rebuild it the Franciscans re-occupied the original more humble building. The only Mission in the California Chain where we know for sure Junipero Serra Celebrated Mass