Father Junipero Serra

Father Serra, founder of the San Gabriel Mission, was born in 1713 on the island of Majorca in the Mediterranean. When he was 16 he heard God call to him and he joined the Franciscan order.
In 1750 he was sent to Mexico, then called New Spain, and entered the missionary college there. After 19 years of work with the Indians in the area of Mexico City he was commissioned to carry on his work establishing missions in California. Father Serra's first mission established was in San Diego in 1769. The Mission San Gabriel Arcangel was the fourth mission to be established. They celebrated their fist mass on Sunday, Septmber 8, 1771.The Mission San Buenaventura in 1782 would be Father Serra's 9th mission, he died shortly after that in 1784. Twelve more missions were established after Father Serra's death. The last being Mission San Francisco de Solano, founded on July 4, 1823. There are 21 missions in all along the California Coast. Father Serra's dream and vision he started in 1769 still lives on in the hearts of those who visit the missions today.

This is a picture of a statue of Father Junipero Serra. This statue stands at the entrance to the old mission church.