Saint of the week: St Junípero Serra (July 1)

washing indians’ feet miguel josé serra was born in 1713 in the spanish town of petra. influenced by st francis of assisi and the missionary...

Staff Reporter

Pope Francis

Melanie McDonagh

Can we believe our ancestors’ tales of the supernatural?

Fr Gavan Jennings

What Raphael understood about the Archangel

Daniel Beurthe

Depicting God’s messengers

2 min read

Washing Indians’ feet
Miguel José Serra was born in 1713 in the Spanish town of Petra. Influenced by St Francis of Assisi and the missionary Raymond Lull, he discerned a call to the priesthood. His parents decided to take him to Palma, Mallorca, in 1729 to study philosophy at the Convento de San Francisco.

After initial rejection, Serra joined the Franciscans just before his 17th birthday in 1730. When it was time for him to take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, he opted for the name Junípero after one of St Francis’s companions who was known as a “clown of God”.

5freearticles every month

Continue reading with a free account. No card needed.

Five free articles every thirty days, on any device you sign in on
The Catholic Herald newsletter, every morning
Subscribe whenever you like for everything: every article and the magazine

Create free account See our subscription offers

subscribe to the catholic herald today

Our best content is exclusively available to our subscribers. Subscribe today and gain instant access to expert analysis, in-depth articles, and thought-provoking insights—anytime, anywhere. Don’t miss out on the conversations that matter most.