Pope Francis entered the Basicala grounds to the roar of 25 thousand faithful, eager to share a mass with the Pope that would include the canonization of a new saint.
3000 Californians ventured east to celebrate who the church calls the 'Evangelizer of the West,' Junipero Serra who founded the first nine missionaries in California.
Sacramento's Father Ken Laverone presented Junipero Serra's Biography, and a small cheer went up as Pope Francis made it official.
But not all were cheering for the the Church's newest saint.
"In California, we can't change history. What happened in the past is bad," said Andrew Galvan, an Ohlone Indian, who has worked for the canonization for Junipero Serra for 35 years.
Galvan said understands many other Native people do not share his admiration for St. Serra, but sees the inclusion of a Native people in today's canonization as a positive sign.
"Colonialism was an unmitigated disaster for my ancestors," Galvan said. "How we treat each other now, that is the catalyst for opportunity for the church to reach out to native people who feel disenfranchised from the missions."
Several California missions saw protests against the canonization of Serra, but ABC10 received no reports of protests in Washington D.C.
Tuesday Pope Francis address congress, where other potential controversies await.
