St. Junípero Serra, July 1
A Franciscan from Mallorca, Junípero Serra (1713-1784) left a university chair to become a missionary in Mexico and then Alta California. He founded nine of the California missions, including San Diego and San Francisco. Canonized in 2015, he remains a debated figure because of the mission system’s impact on Native peoples.
On the U.S. liturgical calendar, July 1 is an optional memorial: Saint Junípero Serra, priest.
Other saints on July 1
- St. Oliver Plunkett, archbishop of Armagh and martyr (1681)
Name days on July 1
In countries that keep name days, July 1 is the day for people named Junipero and Oliver. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Junipero | July 1 |
| Oliver | July 1 |
July 1 on the calendar
July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (the 183rd in a leap year), with 183 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | Thursday |
| 2028 | Saturday |
| 2029 | Sunday |
| 2030 | Monday |
Keeping July 1
July 1 falls in summer. As an optional memorial, each parish or priest may choose whether to celebrate it. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Junipero and Oliver, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around July 1
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| June 28 | St. Irenaeus |
| June 29 | Sts. Peter and Paul |
| June 30 | First Martyrs of the Church of Rome |
| July 2 | Sts. Processus and Martinian |
| July 3 | St. Thomas the Apostle |
| July 4 | St. Elizabeth of Portugal |
The day before, June 30, is the day of First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. The day after, July 2, belongs to Sts. Processus and Martinian. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.