Large gathering at Carmel Mission for canonization of Junipero Serra

The ceremony to canonization Junipero Serra is underway in Washington D.C. and is being aired live on a large screen at the Carmel Mission Wednesday afternoon.

Pope Francis is expected to turn the 18th-century friar into a saint. Serra founded nine of California’s 21 Spanish Catholic missions and is also buried at Carmel Mission.

There was also a gathering of peolpe showing their dissatisfaction with Serra’s canonization, they said for cruel crimes committed against Native-Americans during his time as a missionary.

NewsChannel 5 will have more on this story during the evening news.