Journey to the sun: Junípero Serra's dream and the founding of California

Serra before California. Island son

The call

A professor, wanting

To the Spanish mainland

The sea of darkness

The long walk to Mexico City

New world others

The fat mountains

Lost

Baja

California before Serra. Who they were, what they did, what they believed

The first nine California missions. Mission San Diego de Alcalá : the solace of unfortunates

Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo : the disappearing oak of Monterey

Mission San Antonio de Padua : a bell for a woman flying in blue

Mission San Gabriel Arcángel : wonder and war in the City of Angels

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa y Tilini : a prayer for bears

Mission San Juan Capistrano : the burning swallows

Mission San Francisco de Asís (Dolores) and Mission Santa Clara de Asís : microbes and the great Franciscan couple

Mission San Buenaventura and the death of Serra

In the shadow of Serra. Lasuén completes the mission

Secularization, gold, and the destruction of the missions

The Serra legend and the question of sainthood

Epilogue: winter solstice at Mission Santa Barbara.