Portico

Leaving the façade, we enter the Portico, which is a long corridor leading to the entrance of the mission complex. Notice  the nine niches along the wall. In each niche is a statue of the Saint after whom each of the first nine missions was named. In front of each statue is a depiction of the façade of each of the missions.

Jim Hubbell, a well-known artist from Julian, California, handcrafted the nine statues in these niches. They are represented in chronological order. Father Serra was the Presidente of the Mission System for the establishment of the first nine – although he was not always physically on site.

The nine missions represented are: Mission San Diego de Alcalá, San Carlos Borromeo, San Antonio de Padua, San Gabriel Arcángel, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco de Asis, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Clara de Asis, San Buenaventura.

Father Fermin Lasuén who succeeded Father Serra as Presidente of the Mission System, founded the next nine missions; Frs. Tapis, Sarria, and Altimira founded each of  the last three.