Fray Junipero Serra portrait, Los Angeles, CA, circa 1915

Subjects: Christianity Portraits
Card type: Real photo
Date: c. 1915 (White Border)

Back of Fray Junipero Serra portrait, Los Angeles, CA, circa 1915, c. 1915 real photo postcard — Back

About this postcard

Black-and-white portrait of Fray Junipero Serra, seated in a chair in a Franciscan habit and rosary, framed within a painted border. The image is a reproduction of a painting of the missionary. The printed caption below traces his life: born in Petra, Majorca, in 1713, he entered the Franciscan order in 1730, embarked from Spain in 1749 by way of Malaga and Cadiz bound for Veracruz, and walked from Veracruz to Mexico City to reach the Apostolic College of San Fernando in 1750. It follows his mission work through Oaxaca, Tepic, and Sonora to his arrival in California in 1769, when the Mission of San Diego was founded. Serra, a Spanish Franciscan priest, went on to establish eight of the twenty-one Spanish missions in California. The caption closes by calling him "Father of the Missons," a period misspelling of "Missions."

Postcard Details

Message

No message detected

PublisherAngeleno Photo Service

FRAY JUNIPERO SERRA, BORN NOV. 24TH. 1713, IN THE CITY OF PETRA, MAJORCA, ENTERED THE FRANCISCAN ORDER SEPT. 14TH. 1730. ON APRIL 13TH. 1749, HE EMBARKED FOR MALAGA AND CADIZ,THENCE TO VERACRUZ. FRAY JUNIPERO MADE THE JOURNEY FROM VERACRUZ TO MEXICO CITY ON FOOT, REACHING THE APOSTOLIC COLLEGE OF SAN FERNANDO JAN. 1ST. 1750. IN THE DIOCESE OF ANTEQUERA, OR OAXACA, HE GAVE MISSIONS, BEGINING ON THE LIMITS OF CAMPECHE. ON JULY 14TH. 1767, HE TRAVELLED AS FAR AS TEPIC AND SAN BLAS,FINALLY BY LAND, THROUGH SONORA TO LOS ANGELES AND VILLACATA, WHERE HE ARRIVED MAY 13TH.1769, DATE OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE MISSION OF SAN - DIEGO. EVE OF PENTECOST SUNDAY WHEN FIRST MASS WAS CELEBRATED. FRAY JUNIPERO SERRA "FATHER OF THE MISSONS"

Addressed to

No address detected

Postcard record

Series	423
Condition	Very good
Place mentioned	Los Angeles, CA
Place mentioned	San Diego, CA
Place mentioned	Mexico City, D.F.
Publisher	Angelino Photo Service, 1030 So. Alvarado, Los Angeles, CA
Notes	White border; black-and-white real-photo postcard (Kodak stamp box, 'PLACE STAMP HERE'), divided back, unused; light foxing/soiling on cream stock; pencil dealer marks '#59' and '1-' at lower right. Published by Angeleno Photo Service, 1030 So. Alvarado, L.A. 6, Calif. (series 423), with photographer's credit logo for Bob Plunkett. Printed caption 'FRAY JUNIPERO SERRA, "FATHER OF THE MISSONS"' accompanied by a long biographical text on Serra's life and journey to California.

Cite this card

Fray Junipero Serra portrait, Los Angeles, CA, circa 1915, postcard, c. 1915. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/fray-junipero-serra-portrait-los-angeles-ca-circa-1915. Accessed October 14, 2026.