Photos: Mission San Luis Rey de Francía

Distant snow-covered peaks rise behind San Luis Rey mission east of Oceanside, Calif. The mission is named for Louis IX, the only canonized king of France (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Sept. 4, 2014 5:40 PM PT

One of California’s first pepper trees, apparently planted in the 1830s, is still growing in the mission quadrangle. Besides the history, you might glimpse some of the Catholic Church’s future; the Franciscans moved their School of Theology (seminary) here in September 2013.