Mission San Fernando, April 3, 3013

Each mission has it's own special features and this mission has the reputation being visited by the Crown Prince of Spain and having peacocks roam around the yard, including one albino bird. I found the photos of the Prince, but never saw a peacock. So I inquired at the bookstore and was told they multiplied until they were a nuisance, so they sent them to a farm with more room to roam.
The surprise for me is that Bob and Delores Hope are buried in Memorial Gardens. Oh, what a beautiful and peaceful place.

Always the 4th Graders!

Off a busy street

Entrance through the Gift Shop

From an old photo

Replica of fountain in another
location, but true to original.

Doorways were short for
the people were short.

They left a section open so we could
see how the adobe walls were made.

CONVENTO, the largest original mission building in California - two stories - completed in 1822 after 13 years of construction - 4 foot adobe walls.... famous corridor of 21 Roman arches.... unusual Moorish arches above windows and doors.. living quarters for missionaries and visitors.

First room had lots of old
photographs down the ages.

How they made roof tiles so they
all fit together.

Wine made for meals,
medicine, MASS, and in
exchange for prisoners

Still in the basement.
No Samples TODAY!

Beautiful robes for the Priests.

Oldest organ in Northern America

Lights are reflected in glass protection.

Antiphonal

This Antiphonal is originally from Palencia, Spain. It was placed on a rotating podium so that the friars and canons could read during daily Vespers, from opposite side of chapel. It is hand written in Latin with decorative borders. Parchment bound in leather over wooden boards with tooling, four corner pieces and a brass boss in the center of the cover.

One wall of the library.

Close up of individual books
of the Bible.

Madonna Room

Of all these icon's of Mary, no
"Madonna of the Poor"

Pieta' stained in
an earthquake.

Another organ in "La Sala",
the reception room.

Junipera Serra

Welcome to San Fernando

I'm always in AWE!

Awesome!

Magnificent ART.

I've missed the confessionals
but I'm sure they were there.
These you can't miss.

Behind the Mission

A beautiful peaceful garden with
a waterway running through.

Close up that is on
the wall.

Across from the "picture"
is where Bob and Delores Hope
are buried.

This sculpture is made so you
can't see both sides at once.
Bob and Delores are in front of this.

The other side.

On the way out, I just couldn't
resist buying this peacock.