Mission San Juan Capistrano Celebrates St. Joseph’s Day & Return of the Swallows on March 19
Please help us keep this calendar up to date! If this activity is sold out, canceled, or otherwise needs alteration, email mindy@kidsoutandabout.com so we can update it immediately. If you have a question about the activity itself, please contact the organization administrator listed below.
Mission San Juan Capistrano’s annual St. Joseph’s Day and Return of the Swallows iincludes the ringing of the historic Mission bells, live mariachi music, Flamenco dancers, local food, craft vendors, activities for children and traditional performances by Mission Basilica and San Juan Elementary schools.
“Traditions that bring us together help build a community. Mission San Juan’s St. Joseph Day and Return of the Swallow’s traditions are proof of how to build a fabric of this very unique and special place,” says Mission San Juan Capistrano Executive Director Mechelle Lawrence Adams.
St. Joseph Day also features interpretive station tours led by Mission Docents, Native American basket weaving demonstrations, Legacy of Saint Serra Exhibit, recorded lectures by world famous swallow’s expert Dr. Charles R. Brown and St. Joseph Table, an ecumenical effort to feed those less fortunate hosted by Mission Preservation Foundation board member Vicky Carabini.
|
|
St. Joseph’s Day Celebration Schedule
8:30 a.m. St. Joseph’s Day Mass at Mission Basilica
9:00 a.m. Historic bell ringing upon the Mission’s opening in honor of Saint Junipero Serra; Live music by Mariachi Tapatio
9:55 a.m. Welcome by Mission Executive Director, Mechelle Lawrence Adams
10:05 a.m. Ringing of the School Bell and Mission Basilica School Procession
10:10 a.m. Vocalist Renée Bondi performs When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano
10:15 a.m. Mission Basilica School performs traditional songs and dances
11:15 a.m. San Juan Elementary School performances
Noon Historic bell ringing in honor of St. Joseph and the Return of the Swallows
12:15 p.m. Journeys to the Past: California Native American Stories and Dances
1:00 p.m. Native American Tushmal Singers
1:15 – 1:45 Live ancient folklore dance by Duende Flamenco
For more details and advanced reservations, visit www.missionsjc.com/swallows. Mission San Juan Capistrano is located at 26801 Old Mission Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675.
About St. Joseph’s Day/Return of the Swallows and Mission San Juan Capistrano
St. Joseph’s Day is a feast day marked by the Catholic Church which has been celebrated on March 19 since the 10th century. Mission San Juan Capistrano began celebrating the Return of the Swallows on Saint Joseph’s Day in the 1920’s when then Mission resident priest Father St. John O’Sullivan wrote the legendary swallow’s story on St. Joseph’s Day, which happened to be his birthday.
The Mission’s swallows migrate 6,000 miles from Goya, Argentina to San Juan Capistrano in large groups. Some cliff swallow colonies number more than 3,500 nests found under the eaves of the Mission. The gourd-shaped nests are made of mud pellets consisting of sand, silt and clay while the nest chambers are lined with grass and feathers.
Known as the “Jewel of the Missions,” Mission San Juan Capistrano is a historic landmark and museum that features exhibits, five-language audio tour, festivals and public programming. As Orange County’s only mission, the site is home to Serra Chapel, the Ruins of The Great Stone Church (circa 1796) and original padres’ quarters.
Founded on November 1, 1776, by Saint Junipero Serra as the seventh of 21 California missions established by Spain, Mission San Juan Capistrano is owned by the Diocese of Orange and receives no church or state funding. The Mission Preservation Foundation, comprised of business and community leaders, is its fundraising entity committed to ensuring education, preservation and its long-term historic and religious significance.
###
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.