A Church Rises Anew in San Juan Capistrano

“On the eighth day of this month (December) . . . a terrible earthquake occurred while the first Holy Mass was being celebrated . . . In a moment it completely destroyed the new church built of masonry. It required more than nine years to construct it, but it lasted no more than six years and three months to the day, for it was blessed on September 8, 1806.”

Thus Fathers Francisco Suner and Jose Barona, the two missionaries then in charge, reported the calamity that struck Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1812.

They went on to describe how the tower of the great stone church tottered twice, then fell on the portal, causing the concrete roof to cave in as far as the transept. Forty Indians--38 adults and two children--were buried beneath the ruins, “only six escaping as by a miracle.”

Today a replica of this stone church is nearing completion about a block north of the old ruin. And, as of old, one man is responsible for the artistic direction of the new church--Norman Neuerburg, historical consultant and expert on the art and architecture of California missions.

Interior Decorated

Neuerburg has spent more than a year almost single-handedly decorating the church’s interior, which he estimates to be about the size of a city block. Actually, his work on the church was begun in 1978, when he launched his research on the project in Mexico, Spain, in California’s Catholic archives and in the old stone church itself. There he discovered geometric designs in the plaster that formed a basis for decorations in the new church. Archeological excavations also were made at the stone church, where footings for the bell tower were uncovered.

The location of the bell tower had been a point of dispute. Some paintings made after the earthquake place it in front of the church. The excavations disclosed the bell tower was to the right of the stone church’s entrance, as it is in the replica. Neuerburg worked closely with the architect to be sure every detail would be as close to the original church as possible. Advantage is taken, however, of such modern building materials as structural steel, concrete and plastics.

When I visited the nearly finished church the other day, Neuerburg was perched upon a scaffold, laying out a design on a wall that towers about 50 feet to the vaulted ceiling. The design was based on a cross found on the body of Father Junipero Serra when his body was exhumed at Mission Carmel. Gallon cans of acrylic paints in bold colors--reds, greens yellows--that give Neuerburg’s highly stylized decorations a quality of joyful naivete, were clustered thickly on a nearby wheeled cart.

Original Artword Duplicated

Neuerburg, a retired professor of art history, explained that his somewhat ragged, spontaneous brush stroke is typical of the original artwork in the mission churches. Against light gray plastered walls, the decorations seem to exude primitive vitality.

He scoffed at mention of his retirement. “I’ve never worked so hard in my life or felt so fulfilled and happy,” he said.

His satisfaction with his work extended to the great crystal chandeliers that caught rainbows of primary colors from the sun. Crystal chandeliers in a mission church?

Completion Anticipated

Yes, he said, they are historically authentic. They were a touch of elegance to the glory of God that plain, wrought-iron chandeliers simply didn’t have.

The only representational art in the church is found in Neuerburg’s portraits of the apostles, which are based upon 18th-Century Spanish engravings.

Work still awaits on some of the niches that will contain statuary. The altar piece is not in place, nor are the great front doors. Neuerburg hopes (he stressed that it is a hope) that his work will be completed in September. Then he will go on to decorate the restoration of the Santa Barbara Presidio. The dedication of the church is planned for the fall of next year.

Perhaps by then the lengthy process of declaring sainthood for Father Serra will have been completed and it will be a glorious dedication for the congregation, for this is a unique representation of Serra’s original stone church.

As one recent visitor, a Spanish priest, proclaimed in admiration of the new church, “It is muy singular!”