Mission San Juan Capistrano
Father Junípero Serra founded Mission San Juan Capistrano on November 1, 1776, making it the seventh of 21 California missions. The local Acjachemen people, later called Juaneños by the Spanish, built and maintained this “Jewel of the Missions.”
Then came December 8, 1812. It started like any other Sunday at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Native American families gathered for morning mass in the brand new Great Stone Church.
Then the ground shook.
Here’s what happened that morning and how you can tour the Mission today.
First Stone Church West of Mississippi
Fathers Vincente Fuster and Juan Norberto de Santiago began building a grand stone church in 1796. They brought Isidro Aguilar, a skilled half-Aztec stonemason from Mexico, to lead the project.
The church followed a cross-shaped floor plan common in European cathedrals. Acjachemen workers carried yellow sandstone from a quarry six miles away. Each stone needed careful shaping by hand. The church would become the largest building west of the Mississippi River at that time.
Death of Master Builder Slows Progress
Isidro Aguilar died in 1803, leaving the church unfinished without its master builder. Priests and Acjachemen workers pressed on using Aguilar’s initial plans. Without his expertise, they made compromises.
Walls became uneven, and they added a seventh roof dome to fix structural problems. Despite these challenges, the team worked steadily for three more years. Their determination would soon result in a magnificent church, though with some flaws.
Mission Celebrates Completed Cathedral
The Great Stone Church was finished in 1806, with a dedication ceremony on September 7. A two-day feast followed this milestone achievement. Workers laid diamond-shaped tiles on the floor and built brick-lined spaces for saint statues.
The bell tower rose 120 feet high, visible from ten miles away. Four bells cast in Chile hung in the tower. Each bell had a saint’s name: San Vicente, San Juan, San Antonio, and San Rafael.
Holy Day Brings Worshippers to Church
December 8, 1812 was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, an important Catholic holy day. Acjachemen converts filled the Great Stone Church for Tuesday morning Mass. Two young boys climbed the bell tower to ring the large bells.
This special feast day required all Catholics to attend church. Morning sunlight lit the sanctuary as people settled in for the service.
No one knew this would be the church’s final day.
Ground Shakes Without Warning
At about 7:00 AM, powerful tremors struck Southern California from San Luis Obispo to Oceanside. The earthquake measured about 7.5, making it a major seismic event. The epicenter likely came from the southern Newport-Inglewood Fault.
Soft soil near the mission made the shaking even worse. Worshippers felt violent jolts as the earth moved beneath them. The massive stone building began to sway.
Stone Walls Crumble in Seconds
The bell tower collapsed first, sending stones crashing into the main church. The earthquake twisted the wooden doors in their frames, blocking exits. Some people escaped through the sacristy door following priests’ directions.
Others rushed toward the main entrance but found it jammed shut. In seconds, the nave’s walls gave way and the roof caved in. The church that took nine years to build fell in moments.
Mostly Acjachemen Women Among Dead
Rescuers found 40 Acjachemen people dead under fallen stone and timber. The two bell-ringing boys also died when the tower collapsed. Most victims were women at this early morning service while men worked elsewhere.
Mission records listed both their Spanish baptismal names and Acjachemen names. The community buried all earthquake victims in the mission cemetery, joining others who had died in previous years.
Other Missions Report Damage
The earthquake also destroyed the bell structure at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel but caused no deaths there. Mission San Fernando Rey de España reported strong shaking and building damage.
The shaking at San Juan Capistrano reached severe to violent levels. Earlier that year, storms and floods had already damaged mission buildings and ruined crops. This disaster marked the beginning of the mission’s decline after years of growth.
Serra Chapel Becomes Main Church
Church services moved to Serra Chapel, a smaller building from 1782. Leaders decided not to rebuild the Great Stone Church, keeping its ruins as a memorial. Workers built a bell wall to hold the bells saved from the rubble.
The two largest bells, San Vicente and San Juan, were damaged and never rang properly again. After the earthquake, the mission saw fewer converts and produced less food, starting a long period of decline.
Modern Ceremony Honors Victims
Each December 8, the mission holds a Day of Remembrance for the earthquake victims. The historic bells toll 40 times, once for each person who died. Participants read aloud both the Spanish and Acjachemen names of those who died.
Members of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians perform traditional ceremonies with burning sage and songs. This annual event combines Catholic prayers with Native American traditions to honor those lost.
Visiting Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano is at 26801 Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano, California.
Each ticket includes three complimentary audio tours: the History Tour, Garden Tour, and Student Tour, available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian. You can also visit for free on your birthday with proof of ID.
Highlights include the Serra Chapel, Great Stone Church ruins, museum exhibits, bell wall, and lush gardens. Don’t miss the daily bell ringing tradition and annual Swallows Day celebration on March 19th.
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