San Juan Bautista, the name given to the fifteenth Franciscan mission, honors St. John the Baptist. He was the precursor of Jesus and the son of Zachary and Elizabeth, a first cousin of the Virgin Mary. When Jesus was asked about John, he said that “Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet.” St. Augustine and other doctors of the Church are of the opinion that John was sanctified from the original sin in his mother’s womb. His critical views on Herod led to his eventual beheading, which is commemorated on August 29. His feast day is on June 24.

Saint John the Baptist

The 15th mission’s patron was John the Baptist, selected by Viceroy Branciforte. Fr. Lasuen founded the mission on June 24, 1797, the patron’s feast day. Chosen by God to herald His Son’s birth and death and to help prepare His people by proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom of God, John the Baptist was an appropriate patron. Certainly the friars felt that they were called to this same role in California with the Indians. Many of the missions have paintings or statues of John the Baptist in their baptistry. Services have been held without interruption at his mission. The floor tiles are original and the baptismal font was sculpted by Indians from the native sandstone. Padre Estevan Tapis is buried in the sanctuary. He was President of the Missions following Lasuen’s death.