Junípero Serra was a Spanish Franciscan missionary born on November 24, 1713, in Mallorca, Spain. He is best known for founding the first nine of the California missions during the 18th century, which aimed to spread Christianity among the indigenous peoples of California. Serra played a significant role in the establishment of the Mission San Diego de Alcalá, the first mission in California, in 1769. Serra's work had a lasting impact on the region, as the missions became centers of agriculture and education. He was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 2015, although his legacy is controversial due to the effects of colonization on native populations.