Mission History

Welcome to Mission San Diego de Alcalá

California’s first mission was founded on July 16, 1769 by Saint Junípero Serra, a Franciscan priest. The Mission was relocated to the present site in 1774 in order to be closer to the American Indian (Kumeyaay) villages, a reliable source of water and good land for farming.

The first of a chain of 21 missions that stretch northward along the coast of California, Mission San Diego became known as the Mother of the Missions. In 1775, just one year after the first adobe church was completed, the mission was raided by Indians and an open fire ensued and the mission suffered substantial damage.  Padre Luis Jayme was killed in this attack when he tried to calm the Indians.  Padre Jayme became the first Christian Martyr in California and is buried in the Mission Sanctuary. 

Padre Serra returned to the gutted site in 1776 and began to restore the church and mission buildings.  This time, however, the Padres built an outer defense wall around the complex to protect the mission in the event from any future attacks.  By 1790, most to the reconstruction we completed.  The church and other buildings were arranged in a quadrangle around a courtyard.

The year 1797 opened another chapter in the growth of the San Diego Mission. Five hundred and sixty-five Indians received baptism, which brought the number of converts to 1405. The land area grew to 55,000 acres. Vineyards, orchards, and vegetable gardens began to thrive and wheat, barley, corn and beans were harvested.

It is recorded the mission owned 20,000 sheep, 10,000 cattle and 1250 horses. During an 1813 construction to enlarge the church, buttress wings were added to give earthquake stability to the façade and to provide a more welcoming appearance.

In 1821, when Mexico gained its independence from Spain, Mission San Diego was given to Santiago Arguello. After the U.S. - Mexican War and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, the United States Cavalry used the mission as a military presence from 1850-1857. The soldiers made some temporary repairs to the decayed buildings in order make them habitable. In 1862, the Mission lands were restored to the Church by order of President Abraham Lincoln.

The present mission church was named  a minor  basilica by Pope Paul VI in the bicentennial year of 1976. Today, it serves as an active parish for the Catholic community and as a cultural center for people of all faiths who are most welcome to visit the mission.