I'm sharing a few Christmas photos today from
Mission San Juan Capistrano, the oldest church in
Orange County. Founded in 1776 -- a year you may remember for other reasons -- the Mission is today still a place of worship as well as an iconic touchstone of early California history. The image above is from the ruins of the
Great Stone Church, which was largely demolished by an earthquake in 1812.
The photo above is from the
Soldier's Barracks building. And the final image, below, is from the
Serra Chapel (1782), the oldest still-functioning house of worship in California, and the only surviving church in which
Father Serra actually said Mass. Even for a non-Catholic like myself, it's impossible to enter this relatively simple, mud-walled chapel without feeling you are in the presence of a higher power. It's a very special place to visit -- particularly during the holidays.
Merry Christmas to you all!
Nice post. Haven't been to San Juan Capistrano in over ten years, need to make it back soon.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!