Junipero Serra biography

Synopsis

Juniper Serra was born in 1713 in Majorca, Spain. After working as a missionary in Sierra Gorda and Mexico City, Serra was sent to California. Serra established his first mission, San Diego de Alcalá, in 1769. He built eight more missions over the next thirteen years. He is credited with helping the Spanish establish a presence in California. He died in 1784 at Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo, in Carmel, California.

Profile

Spanish missionary. Born in 1713 on the island of Majorca off the coast of Spain. He took the name Junípero when he joined the Franciscan order in 1730. He taught for more than a decade before going to Mexico in 1749.

After working as a missionary in Sierra Gorda and Mexico City, Serra was sent to California. He made the trip by foot despite having terrible sores on his legs. Once he reached California, Serra established his first mission, San Diego de Alcalá, in 1769. He built eight more missions over the next thirteen years: San Antonio de Padua; San Gabriel, Arcángel; San Luis, Obispo de Tolosa; San Juan Capistrano; San Francisco de Asis; and San Buenaventura. Serra worked tirelessly tirelessly to maintain the missions and is credited with helping the Spanish establish a presence in California.

Serra died in 1784 at Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo located in present-day Carmel, California. The site is now home to the National Shrine to Blessed Junípero Serra, and many visitors go there each year to honor the famous missionary.