Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published March 19, 2003

Today the birds shall rest

Today, March 19, is St. Joseph's Day on the Catholic calendar, but on the cliff swallows' calendar, it is the day their 6,000-mile journey from Argentina ends at Capistrano, CA. Visitors to the tranquil grounds of historic Mission San Juan Capistrano are greeted by a sign, "Welcome to Capistrano, Jewel of the Missions, Home of the Swallows." Founded on November 1, 1776, by Father Junipero Serra, Franciscan priest, missionary and professor, this mission was the seventh of the nine he established in the golden state.

It is believed that long before the mission was founded, these square tailed cliff swallows made their annual migration and built their bulb-shaped mud nests on the cliffs. In the mission's archives, the earliest notation of the swallows' arrival was on St. Joseph's Day in 1777. "Today the pajaritos returned to the area, the Indians being joyous over the return put part of their welcoming ceremony into their evening singing at their neighborhood village."

When the first modest chapel that had been built on the Mission grounds became too small, construction began in 1797 on a great stone church. Seven domes and a bell tower rose from its arched roof and could be seen from miles away. In September, 1806, the church was dedicated, but in 1812, a massive earthquake destroyed the six-year-old structure.

It was not rebuilt. The roof had collapsed during the quake, leaving the two-story high vaulted chapel bare and exposed. It was not long before the orange-rumped, sharp-eyed swallows soaring overhead claimed the ruins as a fine place to rebuild their nests, hatch their babies and teach them to fly before they began the return trip to Argentina on October 23, St. John's Day.

Although unaware of each other, the mission on the Pacific coast and the new country born on the Atlantic coast shared the same birth year. What would later become part of the United States was at that time under Spanish rule. The mission quickly became an important trade center because of the nearby harbor, which was the only seaport between San Diego and San Francisco.

An arch-lined central patio was built at the mission and served as an open air workshop for Indian tradesmen. Those ancient columns and arches remain today. They saw many changes over the years including 16 flags which flew over the mission. When Mexico received its independence from Spain in 1821, the mission was confiscated. In 1848, California was ceded to the U.S., and two years later, it became a state. At that time all large landowners were asked to authenticate their deeds. The Catholic church asked for the return of the mission, and in 1865, a petition was granted by President Lincoln.

All the changes had no effect on the swallows coming and going. Humans celebrate March 19 with a day-long fiesta of Mexican mariachi music and Indian dances. The city of Capistrano annually holds a week-long Festival of the Swallows (Fiesta de la Golindrinas) in mid-March.

The swallows' story was well known on the west coast, but it took a song to spread the story to the rest of country. In 1939, Leon Rene wrote "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano" and immortalized the event.

· · ·
Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.