High on a hill across the freeway from historic Mission San Juan Capistrano lies a testament to the town’s history – a sacred site little known to most visitors or residents.
The Historic Old Mission Cemetery dates to the 1830s. It contains the gravestones of generations of San Juan’s longest-standing families, descended from early California settlers and from the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Acjachemen Nation.
Each year, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and the Capistrano Historical Alliance Committee join hands to present an annual Mass in honor of the ancestors buried there. This year’s seventh annual Mass, celebrated by Monsignor Michael McKiernan and the Rev. Jimmy Nieblas, was held Saturday. It honored not just those interred but five members of Boy Scout Troop 724 who, through Eagle Scout projects, have been helping the diocese make the cemetery nicer since 2011.
November 8, 2016 – Click on the link to read the full article and slideshow of images from The Orange County Register: https://www.ocregister.com/2016/11/08/annual-mass-in-san-juan-capistrano-honors-eagle-scouts-work-in-restoring-historic-cemetery/