Fr. Serra’s Church

Fr. Serra’s Church. Mission San Juan Capistrano. , On Oct. 12-13, 1783 Frey Junipero Serra confirmed 213 persons in this church. It has the distinction of being the only church now standing in California in which Fr.Serra officiated. The oldest portion, [from line in wall to chancel steps] dates from 1777. The portion from line in wall to front door, 1783. Chancel and sacristy rebuilt 1923. The original parts of interior that remain are: the ten beams in the ceiling, counting from the front door, the walls, as far as the chancel steps, the iron rail in the choir loft, the shutters of the left side. The widths of the new walls of the chancel are four feet thick, like the old. The material is adobe blocks of sun dried earth, 4x12x22 inches. From the nature of the material, the walls must be thick. The church is narrow because only short ceiling beams were available. The decorations have been copied from old ones here and at the missions of Santa Ines and San Luis Rey where a copy of the original is retained to enrich the sanctuary. The altar is an early Franciscan Baroque altar of the 17th or 18th century of cherry wood having been brought from Barcelona about 1806. The retablo, of 196 parts is hand carved and gold leafed. The following statues occupy the niches: San Juan Capistrano, San Francisco de Asis, San Miguel Archangel, San Pedro, and Santa Clara.