Facts that you may not have known about San Junípero Serra

Every July 1, the United States commemorates Saint Junípero Serra, an 18th century Franciscan friar who led many of the most important evangelizing missions in North America when it was not yet established as we know it today.

The “missions” were towns founded and organized by various religious orders from Europe, animated by a desire to evangelize.

In 1749, accompanied by twenty Franciscan missionaries, he left for the Viceroyalty of New Spain (which included present-day Mexico and part of what is now the southern United States) for this work.

Saint Junípero Serra is not only considered a pioneer in evangelization, but also appears on the list of the great explorers of the continent.

Junípero was not her name

According to the website of California Missions Foundation, organization established to preserve and protect the missions, Junípero Serra took its name in honor of Friar Junipero, a companion of Saint Francis of Assisi. The name given to him at his baptism was Miguel José Serra Ferrer.

His legacy as an educator

Before becoming a missionary, Serra was a noted academic. He obtained a doctorate in theology and taught Philosophy at the convent of San Francisco in Palma de Mallorca between 1740 and 1743. Later, he held the chair of Scotist Theology at the Luliana University in Mallorca.

Mission Founder

Saint Junípero founded nine of the twenty-one missions in California, including San Diego de Alcalá and San Francisco de Asís. These missions were fundamental to the development of the region and many became important cities on the west coast of the United States.

Defender of indigenous people

On its website, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) highlights that the saint learned the Otomi language and used visual methods to teach religion. He also defended the rights of indigenous people against non-native settlers in a long-running dispute over the Tancama Valley.

Great walker despite his injuries

The USCCB indicates that after arriving in Veracruz (Mexico) in 1749, he walked more than 400 kilometers to Mexico City. During this trip, he suffered a foot injury that affected the rest of his life, but did not prevent him from traveling along the California coast founding missions.

His longest journey on foot was from San Diego to ancient Mexico City, a distance of more than 2,700 kilometers.

Inspiring Motto

According to Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelomaintained the motto “Always forward!”, which represented their way of “continuing to experience the joy of the Gospel.”

Fervent preacher

In Mexico, He became famous as a fervent and effective preacher. He used extraordinary methods to move people to penance, such as hitting their chest with a stone or passing a lit torch across their bare chest.