On June 29, 1776—four days before the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia—a Spanish Franciscan priest named Francisco Palóu celebrated the first Mass at the tip of the San Francisco peninsula, founding Mission San Francisco de Asís. The church that rose from that ceremony, known affectionately as Mission Dolores, still stands today as the oldest intact building in San Francisco, having survived the great earthquake and fire of 1906 that leveled most of the city around it.
That small adobe church, with its thick walls and painted ceiling crafted by native Ohlone artisans, anchors one end of San Francisco's Catholic story. At the other end stands the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi in North Beach, where a full-scale replica of the Porziuncola—the tiny chapel in Assisi where Francis received his mission—offers pilgrims an experience of Franciscan spirituality without crossing the Atlantic. Between them lie historic parishes that served waves of Italian, Irish, Filipino, and Latino immigrants, as well as the stunning Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption with its dramatic hyperbolic paraboloid roof rising above the city like a concrete prayer.
San Francisco's Catholic heritage runs deeper than its famous fog. The Archdiocese, established in 1853 during the Gold Rush, served the spiritual needs of miners, immigrants, and seafarers who flooded into this boomtown. Today, pilgrims find a city where Franciscan simplicity and San Francisco sophistication meet in unexpected ways—where tech workers pause for noon Mass at Old St. Mary's, where tourists stumble into the ancient baptismal font at Mission Dolores, and where the Porziuncola's plenary indulgence can be gained just blocks from the bustle of Chinatown.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The Catholic history of San Francisco begins with the Spanish missionary enterprise that created a chain of 21 missions stretching from San Diego to Sonoma. Mission San Francisco de Asís, the sixth mission founded, was established by Franciscan friars under Father Francisco Palóu on June 29, 1776. The present adobe church was completed in 1791, making it the oldest building in San Francisco and one of the oldest in California.
The mission suffered the fate common to California missions after Mexican secularization in 1833, losing its lands and falling into disrepair. But the original church survived while the larger mission complex crumbled. The great earthquake of 1906 destroyed much of San Francisco but left Mission Dolores standing—the thick adobe walls flexed rather than collapsed. It remains an active parish church, with Mass celebrated in the same space where Ohlone converts worshiped over 230 years ago.
The Gold Rush of 1849 transformed San Francisco from a sleepy mission town into a roaring city practically overnight. Catholic immigrants flooded in: Irish, Italians, Germans, French, and later Chinese, Filipino, and Latino communities. Old St. Mary's Cathedral, built in 1854 using granite shipped from China and bricks from New England, became the first cathedral in California and served as the seat of the archdiocese until 1891.
The Italian community of North Beach established the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, completed in 1924 in Romanesque style, which became famous as the site where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe posed for wedding photographs in 1954 (they were married in a civil ceremony, as both had been divorced). The parish remains the spiritual heart of North Beach.
The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi was designated in 1949 on the 700th anniversary of St. Francis's death. In 2016, the shrine added a remarkable feature: a full-scale replica of the Porziuncola, the little chapel in Assisi where Francis heard Christ tell him to "repair my church." The San Francisco replica was built using stone from Assisi and offers the same plenary indulgence available at the original.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in San Francisco
Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores)
The oldest building in San Francisco and the city's founding site
The original mission church, completed in 1791, features 4-foot-thick adobe walls, a ceiling painted by Ohlone artisans with native vegetable dyes, and an altar reredos brought from Mexico in the late 18th century. The adjacent cemetery contains the remains of early settlers and native peoples, including the unmarked graves of some 5,000 Ohlone who died during the mission era.
The larger basilica next door, completed in 1918, hosts most parish Masses and features beautiful stained glass windows. A museum tells the story of the mission and California's Catholic heritage.
National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi
Home to a replica of the Porziuncola with plenary indulgence
The shrine encompasses two churches on Vallejo Street in North Beach. The Porziuncola Nuova, constructed in 2016 with stone from Assisi, is a full-scale replica of the chapel where St. Francis heard Christ's call. It offers pilgrims the same plenary indulgence available at the original—one of only a handful of places in the world where this grace can be received.
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption
Dramatic modernist cathedral and seat of the Archdiocese
Completed in 1971, the cathedral rises 190 feet above the nave. The roof, composed of four hyperbolic paraboloids meeting at a cross-shaped cupola, allows natural light to stream into the vast interior.
Old St. Mary's Cathedral
California's first cathedral, built 1854
Built with granite from China and bricks from New England, Old St. Mary's served as California's first cathedral. It survived the 1906 earthquake only to be gutted by fire; rebuilt within the original walls.
Saints Peter and Paul Church
The Italian Cathedral of the West
Magnificent Romanesque church completed in 1924, dominating Washington Square in North Beach. Famous as the site where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe posed after their 1954 civil wedding.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of St. Francis of Assisi — October 4
Principal celebration at the National Shrine with solemn Mass and blessing of animals.
Portiuncula Indulgence Days — August 1-2
Special opportunity to receive the plenary indulgence at the Porziuncola Nuova replica.
Blessing of the Fleet — October (First Sunday)
Annual blessing at Fisherman's Wharf with procession of the Madonna del Lume.
🛏️ Where to Stay
The Fairmont San Francisco ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Legendary Nob Hill hotel with stunning views. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Hotel Boheme ⭐⭐⭐ — Charming boutique hotel in North Beach, steps from the National Shrine. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
HI San Francisco Downtown Hostel (hostel) — Budget option in Union Square. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
🚗 Getting There
By Air: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 13 miles south, connected by BART rapid transit (30 minutes to downtown). Oakland International (OAK) offers an alternative.
By Train: Amtrak serves Emeryville across the bay with shuttle buses to San Francisco.
By Car: Highway 101 runs through the city. Parking is expensive; public transit recommended.
Local Transport: MUNI buses and metro serve all pilgrimage sites. BART provides rapid transit throughout the Bay Area.
📚 Further Reading
Books:
John Bernard McGloin, S.J., San Francisco: The Story of a City — Comprehensive history with strong coverage of Catholic institutions.
Msgr. Francis J. Weber, California's Catholic Heritage — The definitive guide to California mission history.
Online Resources:
California Mission Foundation — Information on all 21 California missions.
🎥 Recommended Videos
Mission Dolores: San Francisco's Oldest Building — Documentary on the mission's history.
The Porziuncola of San Francisco — Tour of the replica chapel.
🔗 Useful Links
Mission San Francisco de Asís — Mass schedule, museum hours.
National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi — Porziuncola hours, confession times.
Archdiocese of San Francisco — Parish directory and events.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Carmel-by-the-Sea (190 km south) — Mission San Carlos Borromeo, burial place of St. Junípero Serra.
San Juan Capistrano (700 km south) — The "Jewel of the Missions" with beautiful gardens.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." — St. Francis of Assisi
