Mission San Juan Capistrano has been honored to present “Camposanto: A Tribute to the Mission Cemetery History” in the historic Sala Building.
If you’ve had the chance to experience it already, or have not seen it all, now is the time to get one last look: The exhibit will close for good on Jan. 5, 2015.
“Camposanto: A Tribute to the Mission Cemetery History” pays homage to the landmark Mission Cemetery which is located east of Serra Chapel. The “camposanto” – or “holy field” — was a common term Franciscan padres used for “cemetery.” The Mission cemetery was actively used for nearly 70 years, the first burial most likely taking place in 1781, and the last around 1850.
Franciscan padres kept detailed records of each person who died and was buried at the Mission. The leather-bound Burial Register the padres used lists over 3,400 individuals between 1781-1850. The cemetery tribute features each name listed in the Burial Registers by year, which include baptized Native American men, women and children, as well as Spanish padres, soldiers and their families.
The tribute also features information on the history of Spanish Colonial burial practices during the Mission period (1776-1834), disease and population decline of the Mission Native American community, the cemetery’s first burial of Monsignor St. John O’Sullivan in 1934, as well as a pictorial timeline of how the Mission cemetery visually changed over time.
The cemetery tribute was funded by private donations and membership proceeds.
About Mission San Juan Capistrano:
Known as the “Jewel of the Missions,” Mission San Juan Capistrano is a historic landmark and museum that boasts of quality permanent exhibits featuring original artifacts as well as traveling and temporary exhibits on a wide variety of topics.
The site itself serves as a living outdoor museum with original buildings constructed by Native Americans in the 18th century including the Serra Chapel, Great Stone Church, and the original padres’ quarters of the South Wing.
The Mission was founded on November 1, 1776 by Padre Junipero Serra as the seventh in the chain of the twenty-one California missions established by Spain, and is Orange County’s only mission. Every year, over 50,000 students visit the Mission and engage in an inspirational learning experience via the Mission Matters programming, as part of their State required California history studies.
Mission San Juan Capistrano is owned by the Diocese of Orange and is supported by the Mission Preservation Foundation, which is comprised of business and community leaders committed to ensuring the long term preservation and viability of Orange County’s only Mission. The Mission receives no funding from either the Church or the State of California and charges admission funds as a means of providing public access.
Mission San Juan Capistrano is located at 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. Open Daily 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Good Friday afternoon. Admission is $9 adults; $8 seniors (60 years or over); $6 children (ages 4 to 11); and children ages 3 and under are admitted free. Free audio guide with senior and adult admission. For more information, call (949) 234-1300 or visit www.missionsjc.com.
