Every year, at St Joseph’s Day, the wonder of Capistrano Swallows happens. Swallows come back to the Mission every year from Goya, Argentina and come back there every fall. John O’Sallivan (1911-1930), Mission San Juan Capistrano pastor, in his book “Capistrano Nights”, tells a story about swallows and why they found their home in the mission.

Once upon a time, walking through the town, pastor encountered the shop owner, waving swallows away and destroying their nests. Birds were flying around, shrieking and trying to prevent the destruction. Being asked for the reason for all this, the shop owner replied that there is no room for swallows under his shop’s roof. Pastor then talked to birds and invited them to the Mission where there is a place for everybody. Next morning swallows were building there homes under the roofs of the new Farther Sierra’s Church and remains of old Great Stone Church.

From that year on, swallows come back to their old nests in the Mission and build a lot of new ones every year. This event brings a lot of tourists from all over the world to San Juan Capistrano. The one of the biggest non-motorized parades in USA takes place during the Fiesta de las Golondrinas - Festival of Swallows.

Swallows spend their summer under the protection of old Mission walls and prepare for the long trip back. They depart at San Juan day, 23th of October, flying the farewell circle around the Old San Juan Capistrano Mission. See you next spring, guys…

San Juan Capistrano, March, 2002