The second of the Franciscan Missions of Alta California was named after St. Charles Borromeo, a Secular Franciscan. Born in 1538, son of Count Gilbert Borromeo by a Medici mother, he was a cardinal at the age of twenty-two and Archbishop of Milan soon after, although he was not ordained priest and bishop until 1563. The first great prelate of the Counter-Reformation, he was noted for his reforms, his devotion to the faith, and his fearless disregard for his own safety during the plague of 1576. San Carlos died in the year 1584 and was canonized in the same year. His feast day is November 4.

Saint Charles Borromeo

On June 3, 1770, at the same time as Don Gaspar de Portola claimed Alta California, the 2nd mission was founded by Junipero Serra. On the shores of Monterey Bay, a Christian cross was planted and the Spanish Crown’s standards were unfurled. Unhappy with the closeness of the presidio, Serra moved the mission to the present site near the Carmel River on August 14,1771. It was dedicated to honor Carlos III, King of Spain, who was named for St. Charles Borromeo. Junipero Serra, founder and Father-Presidente of the mission chain, and Fermin Lausen, his successor, are buried in the sanctuary. Considered one of California’s most outstanding historic monuments, the mission was elevated to a minor basilica in 1960. The Moorish influence is obvious in this architecture.