CALIFORNIA’S FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH
An awareness and fund raising project by the Artist Grego
 
    You may or may not have noticed it as a San Diego resident, or even knew that it existed on your last trip here to America’s finest city. Nevertheless, everywhere you look almost everything around us seems to pay homage to our rich Spanish ancestry. Little do most of us realize, that just several hundred years ago, most of this barren land of California was once owned by the empire of Spain who claimed Mexico as their own New Spain? If you are a bit of a history buff like me, you will be amazed to find out that located right here in the heart of San Diego, is one of the most historically significant places to visit that I recommend. Originally built with funding from Spain in 1769, this sacred place is a must see sanctuary where you can actually feel what history was like living back then. It is a place where time seems to stand still and God's sentient fills your forever-searching soul, a place where Christianity bravely washed ashore centuries ago on Native American Indian land, during uncertain times. The Bell tower antique bells from California’s first Church, the Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala continue to toll in the hopes that you will hear what they have to say this year. In turn, I would like to share with you the wonderful story of how this famous Mission came to be. San Diego is very fortunate to be the home of California’s very first Mission of the original 21 built centuries ago. We are blessed to have her here, and I am honored to share her story with you.
    
     Over two hundred and thirty years ago in the historical summer of 1769 when mostly wild animals and indigenous Native American Indians inhabited Americas wild west coast, the King of New Spain, currently known as Mexico sent heavily supplied and armored wooden sailing ships, along with well trained traveling explorers and Franciscan Padres north ward up the rugged pacific coastline. They were directed to conquer and claim new territory for New Spain’s expanding empire, as well as attempt to spread Christianity to the Native American Indian tribes and other inhabitants. Law was instituted back then, that to claim new frontier land, you had to establish Missions as your right of ownership and control. The separatism back then between the east and the west was a vast chasm of culture verses survival.

Father Junipero Serra, a 56 year old, 5’2” 120 lb. Franciscan Friar from Majorca, Spain was chosen superior of the Franciscans to lead the ground advance northward, and he was partnered with Gaspar de Portola who was to be the Military leader of the boat expeditions heading north to California. After months of arduous land and sea journey, along with delirious disasters, illnesses and losses of life, the two explorer teams bravely met up along the ragged coastline to claim New Spain’s conquests. The name of this newly discovered area as well as the name of the first Catholic Mission established in California by Father Serra was to be named San Diego. The legendary Mission San Diego de Alcala was first established on Presidio Hill in Old Town for safety.

This spectacularly wild and untamed new country located in new north New Spain was to be dedicated to Saint Didacus, or Diego, who lived in the 16th century as a Spanish Padre in the province of Andelisia, Spain. He was well recognized by the Catholic Church as a true miracle worker and he was canonized in 1588 for his dedications to promoting the Christian way of life until his dying day. This is how San Diego received its historical Spanish name centuries ago.

The various Indians tribes however, were slow in accepting the blessings and teachings offered to them in the beginning. Because of language barriers and customary beliefs, they approached the Spaniards with extreme xenophobia at first, and then later they wandered about the new settlement undisturbed, stealing what ever they could carry away. Father Junipero Serra considered loosing a few trinkets a small price to pay to gain their friendship and trust. The original 1769 Presidio Hill Mission in Old Town San Diego was roughly put together and it was almost abandoned that first year due to lack of supplies and the illnesses that depleted the men’s strength. Fortunately, a relief ship, the San Antonio finally arrived and the Mission was endured.

Five years later the Mission was relocated further up the San Diego River to its present site six miles east on a Nipaguay Indian Village to separate the Presidio and the new Mission. The critical move inland was undertaken by the guidance of Padre Luis Jayme and approved by Father President Serra in August of 1774 to obtain a better supply of fresh water, more fertile land, as well as to get away from the Spanish military presence that intimidated the Native American Indians. Once again, a primitive Mission was quickly constructed to establish this area under New Spain’s control. One year later in 1775, several of the Mission Indians still discontented with the rules and regulations, incited eight hundred truculent tribal Indians to storm the grounds of the new Mission and it was burned to the ground. Padre Luis Jayme was killed and became California’s first Christian martyr and is now buried under the Alter of the present day church.

The threat of fire, hatred, impossible odds, and even loss of life could not stop the divine spread of Christianity. Several months later, the Franciscans under the guidance of Father Junipero Serra once again returned with support from the Presidio to supervise the reconstruction of the new Mission Church built this time out of heavy rock, wooden beam’s and mortar, according to army fort specifications. Decades later in 1797, the Mission property was expanding to accommodate the growing needs of the neophytes (baptized American Indians). In 1780, most of the fortified new construction of the Mission and its outer buildings were completed; built in a quadrangle around the patio or center area for security reasons. Under the new Spanish Padre organizational controls, the Mission flourished by using the tall bell tower and the refulgent custom bells forged in Mexico to communicate with the Indians and workers of what was going on at a specific time of each day. As time moved on, over 50,000 acres were eventually developed with vineyard, cultivated field crops, vegetable gardens, fruit and nut trees, olive orchards and massive quantities of sheep, cattle and horses were also ranched right here around the Mission. History also tells that the very first Pepper Tree that you now see growing all over the state was first introduced here.

In 1803, the Mission was damaged by an earthquake causing major damage to the facility. In 1813, another devastating 8.0 plus earthquake rattled the state of California and the additional Missions that were being built along the El Camino Real or Kings Highway were also damaged or completely destroyed. Later that year, the Mission San Diego de Alcala was slowly being rebuilt and enlarged with buttress wings this time that added security to the building in the event of another unpredictable earthquake.

Over the next 54 years, a total of twenty-one Missions were established by the persistent Friars who actually walked from one to another back then, and they are scattered from San Diego to San Francisco along the pacific coastline. Unfortunately, the end of the original Mission system came to pass in 1821 when Mexico regained its independence from Spain, turning the Missions into Pueblos. It was a deliriously sad time for the Native American Indians who showed great remorse when the Padres were ordered to leave. Story tells that when the Padres departed at night, a saddened group of loyal Indians chased them all the way down to the ocean on horseback. Delirious with grief, they galloped their horse’s full speed into the ocean chasing the boats as they pulled out of sight, pleading with them not to leave. During that Mexican occupation period of California, the Act of secularization caused the Mission San Diego de Alcala to be sold to Santiago Arguello thru an illegal property sale from then Mexican Governor Pio Pico. Consequently, the Indians dispersed and the Mission buildings continued to dilapidate over the following years due to neglect. Several years later the United States acquired California from Mexico after the Mexican American War and several US Military companies occupied the Mission beginning in 1853 until 1859 using the adobe church as their horse stable. The Military also made some repairs to the church and added a second floor as well. Subsequently, the Mission was left abandoned for several years during the civil war era.

In 1862, the Mission San Diego de Alcala as well as all of the other original Missions and surrounding land was bequeathed back to the Catholic Church system by the order of President Abraham Lincoln, three weeks before he was assassinated. The signed document by President Abraham Lincoln is also on display at the Mission. Thirty years later in 1892, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondolet moved onto the Mission compound and conducted an American Indian children’s school for the next seventeen years, as well as tried to keep the church in tact thru a continuous gentrification program.

In 1931, only the facade of the Mission was still standing and fortunately, the building once again was rebuilt to mirror the 1813 original church structure. In 1976, the present Mission Church was named a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in the bicentennial year. A basilica is a Church of very important historical significance in the world. Only four of the original California Missions are basilicas to this date: Mission San Francisco de Asis (Dolores), Mission San Carlos Borromeo, Mission San Diego de Alcala, and most recently, Mission San Juan Capistrano. Amazingly, all of the original 21 missions are still standing due to exhaustive measures from dedicated Christians, preservation societies, and foundations who have tirelessly poured in financial support and volunteerism over the passing years.

Inside Mission San Diego de Alcala Church established 1769

     Sometimes in our lives, through introspection, we feel things in our heart that tugs at our heartstrings, telling us to make a difference in this imperfect world that we live in. Often we do not know how to respond to these feelings thru expression or action, so we do nothing at all. I have decided as a California Artist and short story writer to increase awareness for the Missions and the preservation society, because they are all very dear to my heart. An old friend of mine from high school named Gary “Wink” Price gave me a challenge earlier this year to create a visionary statement thru my art and writing skills that would offer our graduating class some remembrance. I thought, perhaps something of global importance would not only give our high school mates, but the entire world, a reminder that civility still matters, and acceptable behavior is only righteous if we really deem it to be true. To be alive in this age of splendor is an amazing thing, and it should not be taken for granted. All of us should find great pleasure in recognizing that the current Christian movement is quite ubiquitous, and is now indelibly in vogue with not only Presidential and world leaders; but also with Hollywood Superstars and professional athletes, influential musicians, inspired artists and close to a billion other people around the world who believe that our fealty to God holds the key to our destiny of all that is good and righteous.

                                     
Mission San Diego de Alcala Church and Bell Tower
 
 

THE ARTIST’S MILLENNIUM MISSION

It is my personal mission this year, to create a renewed sense of awareness for these wonderful old Spanish Missions. I have started on a series of new GregoArt paintings and custom creations to be offered to the public for donations, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the preservation society of the Missions. Please, help me to keep this project alive by forwarding this short story via the internet to all of your friends and business associates. As worldwide tragedies unfortunately continue to unfold on a global scale, now is the time to make a difference. It is critically important for all of us believers to take a valiant stand together, because this is not a temporary apparition. Centuries ago when America was in its infancy, Christianity bravely washed ashore in San Diego, California and it was led by a brave and shining torch leading us thru the darkness. Help me to keep this torch alive, by financially supporting the GregoArt preservation project, one that keeps our choices of religious freedom and the original founding Missions of California impenetrable from harm. You can support the Missions by visiting them and also by purchasing a fund-raising GregoArt “Mission 1769” product today.

 
Written by: Gregory Michael Maness “The Artist Grego” WWW.GREGOART.COM
View the historical Mission San Diego de Alcala today @ www.missionsandiego.com
Visit the new GregoArt gift shop and fund raising store at www.cafepress.com/gregoart