Junípero Tightened

Whereas the Jésuites had played a paramount role in the exploration and the organization of the colonies of the Canada, from News-France and the Paraguay, under the impulse of the Superior Claudio Aquaviva, died in 1615, they passed then by a difficult moment. In 1773, the pope Clément XIV dissolves the Company on the injunction of the Iberian sovereigns. The rival order of the Franciscains then tries to take the place of the Jesuits in the New World. Born in 1713 with Majorque (Balearic Islands), the Père Junipero Serra founds a mission with San Barnabé, close to Monterey, in the north of the colony of News-Spain (current Mexico). From there, it launches forwardings towards California, still unexplored and with the variation of Western civilization. In a few years, Franciscains found 21 missions. One of them is the subject of an special attention of the viceroy of News-Spain, Bucareli.

Junipero Tightened share for Mexico in 1749, it is then 37 years old. It is at the 55 years age that Serra, a small man not particularly robust and going while making use of a cane (after-effect of an old wound) the spot of the creation of a chain of Missions accepts. It is, mainly has back of mule which it will cover the 750 miles to join the site of its first Mission, San Diego, that it reaches in 1769. Of this date until its death, 15 years later it will have bases 9 others mission S (10 on the whole on a unit, in the long term, of 21

December 15th 1774, this one addresses to the Father Junipero Serra a letter where he proposes to him to take part in a forwarding towards a bay of strategic importance, in central California, under the command of the captain of navy Juan Bautista de Anza.

Thus a first military camp is established in this place and the Fathers Palou and Cambon celebrate there the mass for the first time in front of a modest hut, the Dolorès mission. The place will receive the name of San Francisco in the honor of saint François d' Assise.

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