Mission San Juan Capistrano is located in San Juan
Capistrano, California. The city is located between
Los Angeles and San Clemente. The mission was
founded by Father Fermin Lasuen on October 30,
1775. The mission was named after Saint John of
Capistrano, Italy. Sadly, Father Lasuen had to flee
because of the fight between the Indians and
missionaries, which resulted in the death of one
priest. Before he fled, Father Lasuen buried the
mission bells in order to keep them safe.

The mission was re-founded the very next year by Father
Junipero Serra, when he discovered the buried mission
bells. On November 1st 1776, the mission was officially
reopened. The local Juaneno Indians befriended Father
Serra and helped build the mission. The bells were not
moved from the tree where Father Serra had hung them,
until 1791, when a bell tower was built as part of the new
church.

During the early 1800’s , the mission grew in size and
production. It produced a huge amount of crops and was to
house the largest church in California. Then, the church
suffered utter destruction when the earthquake of 1812 hit
and killed 40 natives. It was never restored.
The mission had to be abandoned in 1818 when pirates
attacked and caused irreparable damage. After it was safe
for the people to return to the mission, the Mexican
Governor Echeandia declared that the Indians should be
free. They were no longer required to obey the fathers’
orders and ended up leaving Capistrano, as well as all of
the priests. By the year 1845, the mission was completely
abandoned.

President Abraham Lincoln returned the land to the
Catholic church in 1863, yet it was not tended to. The
buildings were badly deteriorated and would not be able to
be restored. Not until the year 1918, when Father
O’Sullivan was granted permission to rebuild it and make it
a church once again, did it begin to hold promise of
habitation. It is now a historical landmark with a museum
and is open to the public. It is most famous for the annual
swallows which arrive on March 19th.