Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo

It has been suggested that Mission San Carlos Borromeo del rio Carmelo be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

**Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo**
Location	Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
The façade of the capilla (chapel) at Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo.
Name as Founded	La Misión San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo^[1]
Namesake	Saint Charles Borromeo
Nickname(s)	"Father of the Missions", Carmel Mission
Founding Date	June 3, 1770^[2]
Founding Priest(s)	Father Junípero Serra
Founding Order	Second
Headquarters of the Alta California Mission System	1771–1815; 1819–1824; 1827–1830^[3]
Military District	Third
Native Tribe(s) Spanish Name(s)	Costeño (Esselen,Ohlone/Costanoan)
Owner	Roman Catholic Church
Current Use	Parish Church
National Historic Landmark	#NPS-66000214
California Historical Landmark	#135
Web Site	http://carmelmission.org

Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was first established on June 3, 1770 in Monterey, California, and was named for Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, Italy. The following year, the Mission moved to its present location near the present-day town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The original site continued to operate as a chapel and later became the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo. "Mission Carmel" as it came to be known, was Father Junípero Serra's favorite, and being close to Monterey (the capital of Alta California) became his headquarters. When he died on August 28, 1784 he was buried in the chapel.

The Esselen and Ohlone Indians who lived near the Mission were taken in and trained as plowmen, shepherds, cattle herders, blacksmiths, and carpenters. They made adobe bricks, roof tiles and tools needed to build the Mission. In the beginning, the Mission relied on bear meat from Mission San Antonio de Padua and supplies brought by ship from Mission San Diego de Alcalá. By 1794, the population had reached its peak of 927, but in 1823 the total had dwindled to 381. On November 20, 1818 French privateer Hipólito Bouchard raided the nearby Presidio of Monterey in Monterey, California. The Mission was in ruins when the Roman Catholic Church regained control of it in 1863. In 1884 Father Angel Casanova undertook the work of restoration. In 1931, Monsignor Philip Scher appointed Harry Downie to be curator in charge of Mission restoration; it became an independent parish two years later. In 1961, the Mission was designated as a Minor Basilica by Pope John XXIII.

Today, Mission Carmel is one of the most popular tourist sites on the Monterey Peninsula and is a National Historic Landmark. It is a place of pilgrimage for visitors from all over the world. In 1987, Pope John Paul II visited the Mission as part of his U.S. tour. It is also a busy and active parish church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey.

[edit] Notes

Leffingwell, Randy (2005). California Missions and Presidios: The History & Beauty of the Spanish Missions. Voyageur Press, Inc., Stillwater, MN. ISBN 0-89658-492-5.
Yenne, Bill (2004). The Missions of California. Advantage Publshers Group, San Diego, CA. ISBN 1-59223-319-8.